Liv and 10K
by Grimm48
Summary: After Liv moves back home instead of not finding any friends, she finds a friend in the gun loving Thomas.
1. Chapter 1

Liv and 10K

Summary:

After Liv moves back home instead of not finding any friends, she finds a friend in the gun loving Thomas.

Disclaimer: I don't own Z Nation or Liv and Maddie

* * *

AN: just so that you're not confused I've changed up the order of the episodes for my fic a bit and the breakup with the skater was still in Hollywood.

Also just btw I have basically no clues about guns, so when I talk about them I'm gonna be rather vague.

* * *

|Rooney house - evening|

Liv Rooney, twin sister of Maddie Rooney and successful teen actress comes skipping down the stairs, seeing her sister watch something on TV.

"Ohh, what are we watching? Fashion week, music videos? Ohh, basketball." Liv says excited at first but shocked once she sees what her twin was actually watching.

"Yeah, I'm studying the game tape of our school rivals, the ravens. They wiped the floor of us last year. It was the first game I ever started, and I scored 7 points." Maddie tells her sister.

"Ohh, 7 points yay." Liv cheers.

"Not yay, not even a little yay. It was humiliating, it was a career low, but I've been working my butt of an this year Maddie Rooney is gonna pluck those raven, Bam! What?!" Liv explains with her catchphrase added at the end.

"I don't hear game tape. Why aren't you watching the Ravens?" Pete Rooney asks his daughter with a gasp.

"You got to get ready, now let me see that rage face." Pete tells his daughter, making her scream rage-face angrily.

"that's what I'm looking for, now get back to your game tape and oh could you do me a favor and not tell your mother I'm fanning the flames of your fury." Pete says as he exits the room, getting a thumbs up in response.

"fanning the flames of your fury, and somehow I'm the dramatic one." Liv says sarcastically.

"How about you pause that video and come to the mall with me for a sister-centric shopping fest?" Liv suggests to her twin.

"Oh Liv, I would so love to go to the mall with you, except I hate the mall and I'm busy." Maddie replies shooting down her sisters' idea.

"Are you sure you wouldn't rather have some Liv time? You know they say it's good for the soul." Liv asks her.

"There has been a lot of Liv time since you moved home and it's been great but now, I have basketball season and midterms and I can't just pauseruski my live to hang out with you 24/7. I think maybe it's time for you to find a friend." Maddie tells her sister.

"What are you doing?" Maddie then asks her sister who is pretending to wipe something off her face.

"A truth bomb just blew up in my face." Liv says.

"What's the problem? I'm sure a lot of kids will want to be your friend I mean you're Liv Rooney." Maddie asks her.

"Yeah people are always nice but then they want an autograph and for me to reenact scenes from Sing it Loud!, which I don't mind doing, but you get it." Liv tells her.

"Ok, but you still have to try and find a friend, I won't be at your disposal all the time, like I said I've got a lot on my plate right now." Maddie replies.

* * *

|next day at school|

Liv just finished a talk with her mother, who encouraged her to go and find herself a friend when a girl runs up to her asking her to sign something.

"Oh sorry, I only do autographs after 4th period." Liv tells her.

"Oh no-no, this is a petition to start meatless Mondays in the cafeteria. My name's Ocean and ohh, you look familiar." Ocean tells her.

"I get that a lot, I'm Liv Rooney, star of the hit-tacular show Sing it Loud!" Liv says.

"No, I think we have German together, wait let me see the back of your head. Yes, I sit two rows behind you. Guten Tag." Ocean says after Liv turns around so she sees the back of her head.

"Yep that's me just Liv Rooney from German class. I love your backpack." Liv says excited since the girl obviously doesn't know her from her TV show.

"Oh thanks, I made it from my old jeans. I'm into upcycling." Ocean tells her.

"Wow you're positively percalitious." Liv says impressed.

"I live on a sunflower farm and if those little seeds can spring out of the earth and find the sun, why can't I?" Ocean replies.

"Do you want to do something later?" Liv asks her.

"Ohh, I can't. See I have spirit club, archery lessons and oh my blog happiest teen on the prairie. But tomorrow I'm totally free, let's hang out." Ocean tells her excited, making Liv clap her hands excited as well.

* * *

|later that day Rooney house|

"Ask me what I did today, no don't I need to blurt. I made a friend. Ohh Wow. She doesn't even care that I'm the famous Liv Rooney, she likes me for me." Liv tells her sister, who was doing sit ups in their room excitedly.

"Liv that is so awesome and see that was not nearly as hard as you thought it was gonna be." Maddie tells her.

"Uhh, I have to admit you're right." Liv says.

"Well thank you and isn't her backpack so cool too?" Maddie asks her sister.

"Soo cool. She said she was gonna make me one out of her mom's old belt bottoms, wait what. I never said anything about backpacks. How did you know it was Ocean?" Liv asks looking at her twin accusingly.

"Look pretty lights." Maddie says as she turns on the blinking lights over Liv's bedframe, decorated around her poster.

"Maddie, my twin-stincts are telling me that you're up to something." Liv says.

"Fine, do you remember how you were saying that it's really hard for you to make new friends cause everyone knows who you are? Well I sort of found the only girl whose family doesn't have a TV and sort of send her your way." Maddie confesses to her sister.

"You send Ocean to me? I can't believe this. You totally friend-ipulated the whole situation." Liv yells shocked.

"Well Liv I just thought you needed some help." Maddie tells her.

"And I thought Ocean liked me for me but now I guess we'll never know because you think I'm so pathetic that you had to go and set the whole thing up. You just wanted to get rid of me." Liv says disappointed.

"Liv that is not true, you were out friend shopping and I just made it easier, I brought the friend store to you." Maddie argues.

"Do not distract me with shopping metaphors." Liv screams angrily as she exits their room.

* * *

|the next day at school|

Liv is walking through the hallway as Ocean spots her and yells "Liv Rooney." Over and over excitedly until Liv caves and stops, turning to the girl.

"Good news. Meatless Monday is official. Big smiley faces when I told that to my cows in the barn this morning. Ok, so are we still on for later?" Ocean says.

"Uhm, thanks but no thanks Ocean. Maddie told me that she set this whole thing up, so uhh you don't have to pretend to like me anymore." Liv tells her and turns around to walk away.

"Oh my oatmeal. Liv Rooney, it's not like that OK, sure it was Maddie's idea but people can become friends in all kinds of ways." Ocean tells her.

"Sorry Ocean but I don't need a pity friend." Liv tells her and walks past the girl when after a few turns she walks into a hallway where she sees two teens dressed all in black by themselves, standing at their lockers. The girl is eating an apple and the boy is getting some books from his locker. Since the boy is closer to her she decides to try him first.

"Hey, you look like you could use a friend." Liv says cheerfully walking up to the black haired teen collecting books from his locker.

"Calling me a loser the first time we meet, I'd call it rude if you didn't look like you mean it in a nice way?" He replies looking at the blonde curiously.

"Ohh, I see how that could be interpreted in the wrong way. No, I meant to ask if you would like to hang out later?" Liv says.

"Well if we overlook the fact that I have no clue who you are, I still gotta decline. I'm working most of the time." He says, closing his locker after he finished stuffing the books in his backpack.

"Oh I'm sorry, I'm Liv Rooney. I just assumed you knew me." She says hurriedly and stops the teen from walking away.

"Well you assumed wrong, but It's nice to meet you Liv. I'm Thomas but everyone just calls me 10K." 10K replies offering his hand, shaking hers.

"Just out of curiosity why should I have known who you are?" 10K asks.

"Ohh, don't mind that. Anyways let me ask again now that we know each other's names, would you like to hang out and get to know each other someday?"

"OK, I should be able to take a day off work, how does the day after tomorrow sound to you?" 10K asks her.

"Sounds perfect. Now excuse me, I'm going to see if that girl over there wants to hang out as well." Liv says as she looks at the girl eating an apple.

"I'm not gonna tell you to stay away from her but she's trouble and that's coming from the guy even the nerds call an oddball." 10K tells her, patting her shoulder once and gives her a wave as he makes his way to his next classroom.

Liv ignores the warning and goes up to the girl.

"You look interesting. I'm Liv." She tells her poking her on the nose.

"Congratulations." The girl says sarcastically and kicks the door of the locker she was leaning on, opening it and throws her apple core in.

"Careful, don't want to dent your locker." Liv tells her.

"Ahh, that' not my locker. I just don't like to litter. Cya." The girl replies an walks away.

"Uhm I didn't catch your name, but that's OK." Liv yells after her, following her two steps.

"Did I just see you talking to Kylie Kramer?" Maddie asks her sister, having come around the corner.

"Oh so that's her name." Liv says happily.

"Liv stay away from her, she's really bad news." Maddie warns her.

"Why? Because you didn't pick her for me?" Liv asks annoyed.

"I'm serious, she's really big trouble. I mean this girl has been kicked out of three schools. One of them was online." Maddie tells her.

"Ohh, I wear black. I switch schools. I must be a bad girl." Liv says sarcastically.

"I get it, you're angry at me and you want to pick your own friends, just please don't pick Kylie." Maddie pleads.

"Oh so now I have to run all my friendship choices by you? I like Kylie so don't be dissing on my KK." Liv says outraged.

"Fine, just don't be surprised when you KK turns out to be cray-cray." Maddie tells her making Liv grunt in annoyance and run out of the school, catching up with Kylie.

"Hey KK." Liv says.

"Yeah, that's not happening." Kylie tells her.

"Got it, so my sister says you're kind of a bad girl." Liv says.

"Yeah, I got in trouble at my last school, but I'm a totally different person now." Kylie tells her.

"Ohh you turned over a new leaf?" Liv asks.

"No, I got new ID. I'm literally a different person. I'm ditching the last two periods want to come?" Kylie offers.

"You mean like skip class? I've never done this before. I mean even on my show I was a good girl. I had other issues…" Liv says nervously.

"Boring! I'm going to the mall." Kylie tells her, making Liv follow her as soon as she heard mall mumbling to herself "Is this a sign or what?"

* * *

Later that day Maddie meets up with Ocean, who tells her that it's not going to work out with her and Liv and gives her the class notes and informs her that Liv skipped class to go to the mall according to rumor.

Maddie suspects that Kylie is behind this and follows her sister to the mall. At the mall Kylie stole a pair of sunglasses and hands them to Liv, who drops them as she hears the alarm go off and Kylie tell her that she stole them. Maddie comes upon the scene of the two girls running away and picks up the glasses, getting arrested for stealing them since she gets confused for Liv. She doesn't sell her out because she fears that the paparazzi will be all over Liv if they heard that she stole something. At home her mother punishes her by benching her for the game against the Ravens despite her father trying to get her another punishment since Maddie is the star player of his basketball team.

* * *

After receiving the punishment Maddie goes up to her room, where Liv is pacing around.

"Oh god I'm so glad you're home. I've been dying to talk to you. You were so right. I guess after the second person to tell me this I should have listened. Kylie is bad news." Liv says

"That's funny coming from a shoplifter." Maddie says accusingly.

"What? I didn't…" Liv starts to say when Maddie cuts her off telling her "Liv, I was there. You stole sunglasses."

"Pause the newsfeed. Maddie, I didn't steal anything. I mean Kylie stuck those shades in my hand I dropped them and I bolted. I didn't even wait for the machine to finish engraving our names on a penny." Liv tells her.

"Wait you didn't steal them? Liv I took the blame for you." Maddie tells her.

"What why?" Liv asks confused.

"Because if I hadn't the security guard would have caught you and your picture would have been all over the news quicker than the one of a duckling cuddling a kitten." Maddie explains.

"Oh man did you see that though, wasn't that just the cutest thing you've ever seen." Liv says excitedly and the two of them impersonate a duckling and a kitten respectively.

"Wait that's not what we're talking about right now." Maddie says strictly.

"No it isn't." Liv agrees guiltily.

"Liv you are so lucky I was there for you, as always." Maddie tells her.

"Maddie I know you think it's your job to protect me, but you've got to stop. I mean you tried to make Ocean my friend, you tried to protect me from Kylie, just now you took the wrap for me and just because you were right in every one of those instances does not mean you know what's best for me." Liv says.

"Well if it makes you feel any better mom benched me from the Ravens game tonight." Maddie tells her sadly.

"What she benched you? Wait what does bench mean again?" Liv yells shocked.

"It means I'm not allowed to play." Maddie explains.

"That's what I thought and there is no way that is happening because this game is way to important to you." Liv tells her and makes her way downstairs, stopping at the door to tell her "By the way there is a pretzel from the mall on your desk. It seemed more generous at the time."

Once downstairs she sees her mother and father arguing about Maddie not going to the game and tells them "wait mom, dad. I have to tell you something. I ditched school with my new ex-best friend Kylie and she stole sunglasses. Maddie had nothing to do with it. She was just covering for me."

"No." her mother sighs disappointedly while her father practically screamed in joy.

"That means Maddie can play." Pete says excitedly.

"Fine but tell her that she's still in trouble for lying." Karen Rooney tells her husband.

"Suit up Maddie, we've got some Raven's to beat." Pete yells running upstairs to his daughter.

"Yay, OK let's go cheer on Maddie. Go- Porcupines." Liv says excitedly.

"You are not going anywhere. You can start the laundry while I call Kylie's parents. Kiss the next two weeks of your live goodbye." Karen tells her.

"But no mom, I made plans for in two days with the only other person I found who seems to want to be my friend." Liv complains.  
"Who is it?" Karen ask since she knows most of the students at the school.

"Someone called Thomas, but he said everyone calls him 10K. No clue why." Liv replies and after a few moments to think it over Karen tells her "OK fine you can meet 10K the day after tomorrow but the rest of the two weeks you are grounded."

"Thanks mom. But do you know him or why are you letting me meet him?" Liv asks surprised by her mother caving.

"Yes, since I'm the school's guidance counsellor I've met basically everyone and him I've met more often than others but if you want to know why you would have to ask him yourself, I'm forbidden to tell others what the students discuss with me." Karen tells her.

"So he's a weirdo, I don't think I should hang out with him then, one whackadoo a month is enough for me." Liv says.

"No-no, just ask your sister about him. She should know why he had to see me. Now don't stand around and get started on the laundry." Kare says.

* * *

After the game the rest of the Rooney family comes back home and Maddie goes looking for her twin to tell her that they won and finds her in their room sitting on her bed.

"Oh, you're back, how did it go?" Liv asks her excited.

"We Won big time. Bam! What?!" Maddie replies.

"Great, I'm so happy for you." Liv says hugging her sister.

"Oh Liv, mom said you needed to talk to me about something after the game?" Maddie asks.

"Yeah, before I asked Kylie to hang out with me, I actually asked somebody else and mom allowed me to meet him despite me being grounded but I'm not so sure now. She said he had a lot of appointments with her as the guidance counselor." Liv tells her.

"A guy huh? Who is this bad boy?" Maddie asks intrigued.

"Thomas or as he told me 10K." Liv says unsure if Maddie knows him.

"Oh, then scratch the bad boy part. Everyone knows him, but he had to go to mom because his father died like two years ago, ever since then he's pretty much been a loner." Maddie informs her twin.

"Oh, so he's not a whackadoo like Kylie?" Liv asks relieved.

"I don't know. I've never really talked with the guy myself, like I said he's been a loner for two years now, but if mom lets you meet him despite you being grounded, I'm sure he's not that bad." Maddie replies.

"OK then, it's decided the day after tomorrow I'm going to hang out with Thomas." Liv says excitedly.

"Ohh, aren't you a little too excited about this? Are you sure he didn't ask you out on a date?" Maddie teases her sister.

"Oh, hush you. Just because you have your weird jock romance doesn't make you any more experienced then me in the department of love." Liv tells her.

* * *

|Two days later after school|

10K and Liv agreed to meet at the school's entrance after they're done with their classes.

"Thomas, there you are. Are you ready to go?" Liv asks him excitedly.

"Sure, wait where are we going anyways?" 10K asks.

"To the mall?" Liv asks hoping he'd agree.

"OK, but once we're done with the stores you want to visit, we'll go to the one I have to go to." 10K says.

"Deal." Liv agrees cheerfully and they start to make their way to the mall.

"So, are you new in school? I haven't seen you around much." 10K asks her having gotten a quick lesson on how to deal with girls from his legal guardian, who gets called Doc by everyone, being a psychiatrist mainly for veterans as well as having been a field medic himself.

"Oh, I actually used to live here, I just moved to Hollywood for a while because I was the star of a TV show called Sing it Loud!" Liv tells him.

"Huh, and yet you came back to Stevens Point Wisconsin?" 10K asks surprised.

"Yeah, my twin sister as well as my whole family lives here. You actually know some of them." Liv tells him.

"I do? Wait twin, are you the sister of the girls' basketball captain?" 10K asks.

"Sure am. And my mom is the guidance counselor, dad is a gym teacher and my brother Joey goes to this school as well, not sure if you know him. I'm pretty sure that you don't know my little brother Parker though." Liv tells him.

"Hah, big family you got there. Must be nice and a little hectic?" 10K asks.

"Yeah, but it's all worth it." Liv tells him with a smile.

"What about your family?" She asks him.

"Well I never knew my mom, I was raised by my dad, who was a mildly famous hunter and ran the local shooting range, but he passed away almost two years ago and I've been living with my godparent who's a psychiatrist for veterans, he just gets called Doc by everyone." 10K tells her.

"Oh, I'm sorry about your dad." Liv says gently.

"It's alright, at least he died doing what he loved. Hunting, you know I've been hunting with him a few times as well, I know why he loved it so much." 10K says.

"Well enough about that, anything specific you're looking for at the mall?" 10K asks her as they come up to the mall entrance.

"Are you kidding? Have you ever been shopping with a girl?" Liv asks him incredulously.

"No can't say I have. I don't really have any friends right now, after my dad I lost touch and I've been busy running the shooting range." 10K tells her.

"Well you're in for a surprise then." Liv tells him, hooking her arm with one of his and drags him along.

* * *

Over the next two hours Liv dragged him to almost every clothing related store in the mall, asking him for his opinion about some clothes and asking him to carry her purchases before she decided that she had enough for one day especially since it's their first time hanging out together and while they are getting along great, talking and joking around she feels a little guilty for using him as a pack mule for her 6 shopping bags despite his reassurance that he can handle it.

"Alright. I think I've got enough for today. So where did you want to go?" Liv asks.

"Oh, it's right over there, come on." 10K tells her and leads her to a gun store right next to the mall.

"And it's a gunstore. Why am I not surprised?" Liv says amused.

"If you don't feel comfortable going in you can wait out here, it won't be long. I'm just here to pick something up." 10K tells her.

"No it's alright. While I have no real interest in guns it's only fair if I accompany you since you've been such a great friend today." Liv says.

"Thanks." 10K says with a bright smile, making Liv stare at him for a second thinking to herself 'now that I see him up close, he's actually pretty handsome.'

"Coming?" 10K asks her, snapping her out of her thoughts as he holds open the door for her.

"Jo 10K you here to pick up your order? Or are you here to impress the girl with your impeccable aim?" the store owner asks him.

"Hi Luke, no I just came for the order and this is my friend Liv." 10K tells the man.

"I've seen you on TV, Sing it Loud! Right?" Luke asks her while he unlocks a shelf, getting out a package and a wrapped-up rifle.

"Yes, that's right." Liv says cheerfully.

"Well nice to see that you've got a friend 10K, I was getting worried about you." Luke tells him.

"Oh, shut up or are you trying to get me to challenge you again?" 10K asks with a smirk.

"I know when I'm beat. Enjoy the rest of your date you two." Luke tells them as the two teens make their way out of the shop.

"Sorry about him, he's like a much older big brother. I've known him my whole life." 10K tells Liv embarrassedly.

"No no it's OK. Maddie teased me about hanging out with a guy as well." Liv says.

"You talk about her a lot, you two really get along huh?" 10K asks.

"Yeah well we're twins. Our motto is sisters by chance friends by choice." Liv tells him.

"Aww that's sweet." 10K replies.

"Are you sure you can carry all that? I can carry my bags myself." Liv asks him seeing him heft the gun across his back and clutch the package under his arm while he holds her shopping bags in his hands.

"Don't worry, I got it. Now lead the way I got no idea where you live." 10K says chuckling.

* * *

Half an hour later the two arrive in front of the Rooney's house.

"OK, if my dad acts weirdly, don't think much of it. He suspects every one of the male gender who comes too close to his little girls wants to be their boyfriend. Maddie's boyfriend is constantly suffering under my dad's watchful eye." Liv tells him amused.

"I see how he could assume that, I mean I can't speak for your sister but you're a beautiful and nice girl I'm sure there are tons of guys lining up to be your boyfriend." 10K tells her.

"Yeah well, most guys know me from the show and want to date me because I'm famous, my ex-boyfriend was a pro skateboarder, but he also only got together with me because of his image." Liv says with slightly reddening cheeks at being called beautiful by him, it usually doesn't affect her at all but when 10K said it she could feel the heat rising to her cheeks.

"Come on in." Liv says opening the door for them only to see Parker take pictures of Joey who is wearing a ridiculous looking helmet with kitchen tools glued to it while trying to get a phone to work.

"Well if we're gonna hang out again you might as well get used to this. The little one is Parker and the nerdy one is Joey." Liv tells him before she takes him up to her and her sister's room.

"Hi sis, where is dad?" Liv says walking into their room.

"He's getting something from the hardware store. Joey broke something again I'm guessing." Maddie tells her.

"OK, coast is clear, no dad no fear." Liv sings and motions for 10K to follow her inside.

"Hi." 10K and Maddie greet each other while Liv tells him "You can put the bags on my bed over there, thanks Tommy." Liv tells him.

"Alright, I guess I'm gonna head out then." 10K says readjusting the gun on his back and shifting his package so he's carrying it in his hand. He then quickly bids goodbye to Maddie before Liv leads him outside.

"We should do this again sometime. I liked hanging out with you, it's refreshing since you don't know me from TV." Liv tells him after they are standing on her porch.

"Yeah sounds good. I liked having a friend again. If possible tell me beforehand if you want to hang out so I can look for someone to cover a shift at the gun range. It's usually just me and Doc." 10K tells her.

"I will keep that in mind, but I'm grounded for the next two weeks either way. I didn't listen to your advice about Kylie and got in trouble." Liv tells him disappointed in herself.

"Better to try and fail than to not try at all?" 10K says.

"Well we can still hang out at school and then after I'm not grounded anymore." Liv says with a bright smile on her face.

"Sure, and tell your mom I said hello." 10K says waving goodbye as he starts to make his way home.

Liv goes upstairs to her room intending to sort through her purchases but before she reaches her bed Maddie pulls her onto her own bed saying, "spill the beans, was is a date or just two pals hanging out?"

"We were just hanging out, though there were these awkward moments here and there, like his friend telling us to enjoy our date or me being nervous about dad and telling him all about him tormenting boyfriends." Liv says.

"So, a shopping trip with potential?" Maddie asks teasingly.

"I guess If you had to call it that. Either way, I had a good time with him and despite the fact that he loves guns he's really nice and I guess he's cute." Liv tells her.

"Nice and cute that's the first step to developing a crush." Maddie says imitating her sister to tease her.

"I told you that when we were 12." Liv protests.

"And I'm sure love has changed soo much in the 3 years." Maddie says sarcastically.

"Oh, shut up, I didn't tease you when you told me you liked someone called Diggie." Liv complains.

"So, you do like 10K." Maddie counters.

"Mind your own business. Even if I did, we wouldn't have such a weird jock-romance like you and your boyfriend." Liv says annoyed.

* * *

AN: Hope you like it, leave reviews and Happy New Year!


	2. Chapter 2

Liv and 10K

|3 weeks later Rooney house|

Pete Rooney is going around asking everyone to accompany him to the soon to be closed pastrami palace, but everyone bails other than Joey who uses his dad wanting him to come along in order to get away from Willow, a overly aggressive girl with a huge crush on him.

Meanwhile Karen pretends to be sick in order to avoid her husband taking them to the pastrami palace.

Once Pete left Liv, who was present at her parents' conversation tells her "Sorry about that cold mom, you know you need some chicken soup and acting lessons. Dad might believe you're really sick but one actress to another you are no actress."

"I'm so relieved. I didn't want to have to pretend I'm sick all night. Your dad's out, Parker is leaving for a sleepover with his karate buddies, that means I've got a date with Downton Abby. Do not interrupt unless there is a fire." Karen tells her daughter and takes off the fake tissue box cover, unveiling a frozen yogurt underneath.

Parker then comes rushing down the stairs asking "Mom, ready for the sleepover?"

"Yeah I got you all packed up and ready to go." Karen tells her son.

"Go where? The sleepover is here." Parker says confused.

"Oh, no no no Parker, I've got it marked on the calendar. Your sleepover is at our house." Karen says realizing her mistake.

"You forgot? My dojo bros are coming over any minute. This party needs to be epic, I need some playground buzz at school." Parker says.

"Playground buzz?" Karen asks confused.

"I need kids to be talking about this at recess, so I'll be invited to other parties." Parker explains.

"Parker, I'm gonna chaperone your party." Liv says excited, since she wanted to do something together with her brother anyways.

"You are?" both son and mother ask surprised.

"Yeah, I mean mom is just way too sick to do it, so…" Liv says.

"I am, I am so sick. Thanks Liv." Karen says and moves to walk up the stairs when Liv stops her and hands her the fake tissue box with her frozen yogurt.

* * *

10 minutes later Parker and Liv are waiting at the entrance door when the doorbell rings and he reminds his sister "Just remember the entire future of my social life is riding on this night."

"Come on in guys." Parker says opening the door and introduces everyone to his sister, while the boys throw their sleeping bags on the floor near the entrance.

"Come on guys. Party starts upstairs." Parker tells his friend and leads them to his room, with only Evan remaining, giving Liv a document to sign because he has a strict mother who asked him to document that he greeted her properly.

The two then hear cheering coming from the kitchen and catch up to the group of kids who are cheering on a kid, who then kicks a trash bin down the stairs and at some bowling pins, knocking them over and then Parker comes out, wearing a helmet and a homemade bubble wrap vest.

"And that's how you start a party." Parker says excitedly while Liv thinks to herself 'what have I gotten myself into?'

Meanwhile with Maddie and Willow, the two of them have to do a history assignment and since they don't have enough time to write a 20-page report in one night they instead do a visual representation of the French revolution and decide to build a guillotine.

While they are doing this Parker and his friends are having a foam dart gun battle in the living room until Liv comes back from the garage, having gotten a dinosaur mask so that they can play a dinosaur version of Duck-Duck-Goose, but everyone leaves to go eat something, finding the game lame.

"Duck-Duck- Dinosaur? Liv what were you thinking?" Parker asks his sister disappointed.

"But I thought you loved this game." Liv says surprised.

"When I was 6, but now you've embarrassed me in front of my karate buddies, you're killing my playground buzz." Parker tells her and then joins his friends in the kitchen while Liv sends aways a clown she hired but realizes that Parkers taste has changed.

After she send away the clown she goes upstairs to her room only to see Maddie and Willow behead a baguette with their home made guillotine.

"Maddie, I need your help…" Liv says trailing off at the sight of a guillotine in her room.

"So how is the sleepover going? Are you and Parker buddies yet?" Maddie asks her.

"Hardly, I tried playing Duck-Duck-Dinosaur and it was a disaster of Jurassic proportions." Liv tells her.

"Yeah Liv, he kinda grew out of Dinosaurs in the first grade." Maddie tells her while Willow hugs her baguette asking what Joey was like in the first grade.

"Smaller head, same glasses. So then I made fish sticks for them, you know the really cool ones shaped like race cars. I even made ketchup headlights, he used to love ketchup art.

"Uhh Liv those have been sitting in the freezer since he went to third grade." Maddie tells her worriedly.

"Well now they are sitting in my stomach. I ate one to show them they taste good and then ate them all because they are soo good." Liv says.

"Liv why are you doing these little kid things? This is a 10-year-old's sleepover." Maddie asks.

"Because that are the things that Parker and I used to do together before I left for Hollywood." Liv replies sadly.

"That was a really long time ago, I mean you just need to find things he'd like to do now." Maddie suggests.

"OK then what do 10-year-old boys like to do?" Liv asks.

"They like to smash things, they are incredibly immature, just like some 16 years old girls." Maddie tells her while Willow cuts a Math book in half behind her.

"Ohh, I have an idea." Liv says excitedly and storms out of the room, heading to the porch so she can talk in silence and calls up the clown from earlier, telling him to head back and ready his DJ gear so he can laydown some beats.

* * *

After this she calls 10K and after a few rings she hears him answer "Hello?"

"10K, it's Liv. I need your advice." Liv tells him.

"Now?" 10K asks surprised since it's evening already.

"Yes now. My brother is throwing a sleepover and I ruined it with stupid kid games, I need something exciting for them to do to make up for it." Liv explains.

"Alright, who are these kids? Nerds, gamers?" 10K asks.

"No they are Parkers karate buddies." Liv replies.

"Ah, Parkers friends, hmm karate, why not build some kind of training dummy or something in your backyard? Something they can use their karate moves on." 10K suggests.

"Ohh that sounds like a great idea, and I know just how to do it. Thanks a lot." Liv says thankfully.

"No problem and you know, if you want a guaranteed wow effect, I could help you out, I just got an idea." 10K tells her.

"OK, what is it." Liv asks.

"No no, if you want the wow effect, I'm gonna surprise you as well. Your call." 10K offers.

"Alright deal. When can you be here?" Liv asks excitedly, smiling to herself.

"I'd say in about an hour or so since I'm not allowed to drive yet." 10K replies.

"Alright see you in an hour then and you'd better deliver on that wow effect." Liv says.

"Roger that." 10K replies and hangs up to collect the stuff he needs for his idea, yelling towards Doc who is sitting in the office of the shooting range watching med shows "Doc. You gotta close up, not sure if I'm coming home tonight."

"Alright kid, do your thing, I trust you." Doc tells him sounding as though he just got stoned which with him always is a possibility.

* * *

A bit later at the Rooney's

Parker is in the kitchen trying to convince his friends that his sleepover is not a disaster when Liv walks in from the back door, getting booed in response.

"OK I know we weren't all friends of Duck-Duck-Dinosaur but there is something waiting outside that is going to blow your 10-year-old minds." Liv tells them with Evan replying, "I'm nine." Making Liv reply "Just come outside" with clenched fists.

"OK if there is someone out there in an alma suit, I'm gonna lose it." Parker warns her as the group of 10-year-olds follow her.

Once outside they see water melons hanging from strings, with training mats lying underneath them.

"Terry cue my jam." Liv orders the DJ-ing clown who then plays some music.

"Wow, what did you do?" Parker asks his sister.

"It's a Liv Rooney Karate Watermelon smash-aton. Dojo-bros attack." She yells excited.

And Parker steps up to the first Watermelon while his friends cheer him on and he delivers a roundhouse kick to the melon's side, making its shell crack and innards spill out, getting his friends all excited.

Next is one of his friends who does the same and after him is Evan who punches a melon, doing no damage whatso ever but is still excited about it.

"Do you hear that Liv. That's what playground buzz sounds like." Parker tells his sister making her jump in joy and clap her hands excitedly.

Parker then approaches another melon, kicking it with a front kick, making it swing backwards and then come flying at the with her eyes closed dancing Liv until it explodes into pieces with no warning other than a faint whistle.

"Woah what was that?" asked one of the kids excitedly.

Liv opens her eyes at hearing the 'plat' from the watermelon and sees the remaining piece of it coming at her, tapping her.

"Did I miss something? I was so lost in Terry's beats." Liv asks the group.

"The Watermelon just exploded in midair for no reason." Parker informs his sister.

"Man, that was a close one Liv. I'm sure that would have left a bruise or two." 10K tells her, having arrived in the backyard, pulling some cart behind him.

"What was a close one?" Liv asks him confused walking over to her friend.

"Seriously? You didn't see the watermelon come at you?" 10K asks dumbfounded.

"No? But what's that got to do with you?" Liv asks not getting it.

"I shot it, so you wouldn't get hurt." 10K tells her.

"shot it how?" Liv asks surprised.

"With my slingshot." 10K says motioning to the slingshot in his free hand.

"Wait why did you even have a slingshot out?" Liv asks him.

"I wanted to make a grand entrance by shooting a melon." 10K tells her slightly embarrassed.  
"Well thanks then, I guess I'm lucky you were there." Liv says giving him a kiss on his cheek.

"Now what was the surprise that supposedly guarantees a sleepover success?" Liv asks him curiously, making the other boys pay full attention to him as well.

"Well, I thought every boy their age would enjoy a little game of Laser-Tag." 10K tells her, pulling the cover of his cart, revealing multiple sets of Laser-Tag gear.

"Looks like we're a few short but it was the best I could do on short notice." 10K says, looking at the group of kids who've already started to raid his cart like a pack of hungry animals.

"Thanks Liv. You really are the best." Parker says hugging his sister quickly as he along with the other kids make their way inside.

"Huh you really came through." Liv says faking surprise.

"Nice way to talk to the guy who saved you from getting pummeled by a watermelon." 10K replies smirking.

"Alright, you were right. I'm really grateful you helped me out. I've wanted to hang out with my little brother again, but it seems I've missed a few parts of his live while I was away." Liv says thankful, hugging him.

"No problem." 10K says returning the hug.

"So were you serious about shooting the melon with a slingshot no less?" Liv asks incredulous.

"Yes. Look over here is my marble." 10K tells her, pointing at the steel ball buried in the tree in her backyard.

"Well look at that." Liv says stunned while 10K pulls it out of the bark, handing it to her.

"Keep it, it could be your good luck charm." 10K says handing her the small ball, making her smile and store it in her pocket saying a quick thanks.

"Alright, I better check if your little buddies have figured out how to get the gear to work yet." 10K tells her and goes inside, following the noise of kids and quickly gathers them up, setting the gear and then leaves, going back outside to Liv to hang out with his friend and to not get tackled by some kids trying to use him for cover.

* * *

Once back outside he sees Liv dance to the clown's music clearly enjoying herself, when she suddenly doesn't look that good anymore and hurries to the brushes in the backyard, starting to vomit, making the clown stop the music.

"Liv, you OK? Did you eat something wrong?" 10K asks worriedly, gently brushing his hand over her back and holding back her hair, to calm her down at keep her blonde locks clean.

"Just some 3 years old fish sticks." Liv says in between vomits.

"Well sure." 10K says more to himself surprised by the answer.

The clown suddenly starts back up the music when Liv follows the beat, pumping into the air with her fist while still vomiting.

"Uhm Liv?" 10K addresses her.

"Yeah?" Liv asks weakly.

"Could you please stop that or else I'm gonna puke as well this just looks too weird." 10K says taking her fist and holding it in his hand.

"OK." Liv says and relaxes her fist, sliding her flattened hand in his until she feels the need to vomit again and intertwines their fingers, clutching at his hand desperately.

"I'm here get it all out and you'll be good as new." 10K tells her soothingly, brushing her hair with the hand he's holding it back with.

About 5 minutes of puking and 10 minutes of dry heaving later Liv is sitting on the edge of the backyard, just in front of the brushes while 10K hands her a glass of water.

"So, 3 year old fish sticks huh?" 10K asks with slight amusement audible in his voice.

"Well in my defense, I didn't know their age until after I've already eaten them." Liv informs him.

"OK then. Well anyways, do you want me to stay over? I can crash with the karate kids and make sure they don't do too much dumb stuff if you want." 10K offers.

"Are you sure? You've already helped me out so much." Liv asks feeling guilty for depending on him in her current situation.

"Yes. It's dark outside already anyways." 10K tells her, helping her up to her feet and helping her get upstairs to her room. Once in front of the room he knocks, waiting for Maddie to open the door an once she opens it Maddie sees the tired and exhausted Liv basically hanging around 10K's neck and assumes 10K is responsible. Once she moves to attack and free her sister 10K already has her wrapped up in her own arm with his free hand.

"Relax Liv is tired from puking her guts out. I had nothing to do with it, if anything I delayed it." 10K tells her thinking back at the watermelon.

"Ohh, sorry?" Maddie says guiltily.

"No harm done." 10K replies and helps his exhausted friend into bed, pulling the blankets over her and brushing her hair back once before he realizes that her sister is in the room and still awake.

"Hmpf, well I better go check on your brother I promised to watch over the karate kids instead of your sister for well obvious reasons." 10K tells her clearing his throat and awkwardly making his way out of the room, ignoring the two girls stares for now.

"Ohh Liv is so gonna hear about this tomorrow." Maddie says excitedly to Willow who only nods with a big grin herself.

* * *

Once 10K is downstairs he puts his cart under the roof of the garage and pulls its tarp back over just in case and gets back into the house, looking around quickly to get a lay out of the house before he goes over to Parker.

"Parker, your sister left me in charge since she isn't feeling to well. All those 3 years old fish sticks and all." 10K tells him.

"So, are you gonna make us do dumb kids stuff too?" Parker asks complaining.

"First of all, your sister thought you would enjoy it and while bringing a dinosaur helmet to a 10-year-old's party might not be the wisest move she tried. And secondly no way, just don't break anything and settle down in an hour or so and we're cool. Oh, and before I forget it you better get me a Laser-Tag gear so I can show you how it's done." 10K tells him with a grin on his own.

Parker gets one of the gears from a kid who's taking a break anyways and the remaining ones continue to play for another hour with about 20 minutes of it being all of them against 10K, he won every round of it and then gave the gear to one of the other kids since him continuing would destroy the power balance of the teams.

After they're done the kids are telling each other scary stories, while 10K collects the gear and packs it up so he can take it back tomorrow.

Once everyone is tired, they get into their sleeping bags and lie down in the living room with 10K lying on the couch.

"Man, your couch is more comfortable than my mattress." 10K tells Parker who is still awake.

"Sure, anyways thanks man. This is gonna get me a lot of playground buzz." Parker thanks him.

"Alright, just remember to thank your sister tomorrow. Btw if you want and your parents are OK with it, I could give you a tour of the gun range, you can't shoot a gun but you could use the ones using laser target system instead of live rounds." 10K offers making Parker beam in excitement.

"Man, you are the best, I didn't think Liv's boyfriend would be any cool at all but you're alright man." Parker tells him.

"I'm actually not her boyfriend. I'm just a friend from school." 10K replies.

"You seriously want me to believe that you, would do all this for just a friend?" Parker asks suspecting.

"I never said I didn't like her in a more than friend way, I'm just saying we aren't dating. Either way go to sleep now Parker." 10K caves shaking his head at the boy's perception.


	3. Chapter 3

Liv and 10K

|the next morning|

10K was the first to wake up in the Rooney residence, followed by Parker and with him his karate buddies, having set a clock for 5 am since their parents wanted to fetch them during the early morning hours. So over the course of the next hour the kids talked some more as one by one Parkers friends got picked up by their parents.

"That was the last one. Once again thanks man, awesome party." Parker says high fiving 10K.

"No prob. Just remember to thank your sister she was the one who asked me to help." 10K replies.

"Yeah I'll tell your beloved Liv thank you." Parker says teasingly.

"hmpf." 10K grunts trying to ignore the small amount of rage building inside him at the kid teasing him.

"Anyways I guess I should head out now." 10K says collecting his stuff and with the help of Parker he quickly packs his cart with the Laser-Tag gear and just as they are finishing Parkers parents got up and went downstairs to check the damage.

"Oh, everything looks so intact and not broken, well that is a first even during Maddie's sleepover stuff always got broken, mostly by Willow, but still." Karen says impressed.

"Now where is our wonderful daughter who kept those little Karate kids in check?" Karen asks looking around when Parker and 10K come in from the backyard.

"Thomas?" the parents ask surprised.

"Oh, Hi Mr. and Mrs. Rooney. Uhm Liv called and asked me to come over to help out and well she ate some bad fish sticks, so I watched over Parker and his friends in her place. I guess I should have told you?" 10K tells them adding the last part at seeing Pete staring at him.

"fish sticks? We haven't had fish sticks in over 3 … oh, I better check on her. And Pete let him live, Thomas is a nice kid." Karen says as she goes upstairs to check on her daughters.

"Thomas huh, I didn't know that you knew my daughter." Pete says sounding intimidating but not quite fazing 10K who deals with ex-military personnel with mental problems almost daily due to Doc's work.

"Yeah well, she asked me if I wanted to be her friend like 3 weeks ago." 10K informs his gym teacher.

"Hmm, Parker have the two of them been doing stuff?" Pete asks his son.

"No, 10K only helped her to bed after Liv puked her guts out." Parker tells his father.

"Helped her to bed huh?" Pete asks angrily staring at the black-haired teen.

"Nothing happened, I helped her to her bed and that's it. Maddie and what's her name were there. Ask them." 10K defends himself.

"Anyways nice to meet you outside of school Mr. Rooney, wish Liv a speedy recovery for me won't you." 10K tells the father, shrugging off the threatening look of Mr. Rooney making Parker all the more impressed.

After 10K left with his cart Pete relaxes and lets out a sigh. "That kid is as hard as steel. I tried my best angry dad impression and he had the guts to ask me to deliver a message. If Liv decides to go out with him my tools of intimidation will be seriously reduced."

"tools of what now?" Karen asks having come down from checking on her girls.

"forget it." Pete whines and gets himself a coffee.

"10K just brushed off dad's boyfriend killer impression as if dad had accidentally sneezed on him." Parker informs his mother.

"Oh honey don't take it so hard, Thomas' legal guardian is a psychiatrist for war veterans I'm sure he comes across some really scary people through that." Karen tells her husband.

"Then I only have one option if push comes to shove I'll just have to lock my daughter away so she can have no further contact with that person." Pete says decidedly until his wife bonks him over the head with the newspapers.

"Thomas is a very nice young man, personally I wouldn't be against Liv dating someone like him." Karen offers her opinion.

"Let's discuss this if it comes to that, how are my girls?" Pete asks."

"They are both good, Liv still feels a little queasy but that's to be expected after 2 packs of 3 years old fish sticks." Karen says.

* * *

Meanwhile with Liv and Maddie

"Girls wake up." Karen says opening the door and turning on the lights in the room.

Maddie shoots up asking "What is it mom?" while rubbing the sleep out of her eyes while Liv wakes with a groan, blinking at the bright lights and looking at her mother wondering how or when she got here.

"Liv I just heard you felt sick yesterday, are you better now?" Karen asks.

"Yeah, I still feel a little queasy, but I'll live." Liv says with a groan.

"Good, what about you Maddie? Did I miss anything yesterday?" Karen asks her other daughter.

"No, not really. I'm guessing 10K left already?" Maddie replies.

"I don't know I left him downstairs with your father and Parker." Karen replies.

"Oh mom, not with dad." Liv says with a whine.

"Come on Liv you know your dad is going to interrogate him sooner or later seeing as the two of you seem to have gotten close." Karen tells her.

"We're not even that close, he's just the only friend other than Ocean that I have." Liv replies.

"That's not what I saw yesterday." Maddie says teasingly.

"What did you see what happened?" Karen asks intrigued.

"Well after somehow overpowering me and telling me what happened after I attacked him once I saw you lifelessly hanging from his neck…" Maddie starts to say, getting cut of by Liv whining "I was what?" embarrassedly.

"You were hanging off his neck, 90% passed out." Maddie says, continuing with the story "anyways after he took me out singlehandedly and I mean that literally one arm was busy carrying you along he put you in your bed and sweetly pulled your covers up and then lingered, brushing your hair out of your face. It seemed very romantically inclined."

"He did huh?" Liv asks playing with one of her locks thoughtfully while her mother smirks at her knowingly.

"Well you better not tell your father, or he'll demand his head on a platter and who knows how that'll turn out given who 10K is." Karen tells them.

"What do you mean given who 10K is?" Liv asks.

"Well you heard Maddie he singlehandedly overpowered her, that was no accident during one of our sessions he told me how he was trained, first by his father and then by some of his guardian's patients. And while I love your father, he is by no means a fighter." Karen tells them.

"Well enough about Liv's romance get ready for breakfast girls." Karen then says leaving the room, ignoring Liv's complains about everyone teasing her.

After this happened Liv got rather shy around 10K and tried to keep her contact to him to a minimum, which is still plenty given she only has 2 friends, but she tried her best.

10K notices this but guesses that he must have done something to upset the curly haired TV star when he helped with Parkers party.

Since the Halloween Scream Fest is coming up in a few days he decides to address the problem beforehand, so they can enjoy the Fest together.

* * *

|at school 3 days before Halloween|

"I keep seeing all these signs for Scream Fest is that a contest? Because I do the absolutely best horror movie scream." Liv asks Ocean as the two girls walk through the hallways and Liv then lets out a blood curdling scream shocking everyone around her.

"It's not quite like that. They turn the whole place into a haunted carnival, it's my favorite day of the whole year except for the days I come here to learn." Ocean says scared when 10K comes running at full speed "What happened? I heard Liv scream." He asks concerned.

"What? Oh sorry, I was trying out my scream for the Scream Fest." Liv explains.

"Phew. Anyways good that I see you, I need to talk to you anyways." 10K tells her.

"Wait up 10, I need to finish our girl talk." Ocean cuts him off, making him look at her annoyedly.

"You only have three days left to get a costume do you want my help to get ready?" Ocean asks Liv.

"No, I know exactly what I'm going to be and I'm not telling anyone." Liv replies.

"Oh you're not gonna fool me Sista, I'm good you're talking to a girl who once found a needle in a haystack, literally. It hurt." Ocean tells her and walks away with Liv following her until 10K stops her, putting his arm around her shoulders and gently pulling her along to an empty closet.

"What is your problem?" Liv asks shocked.

"That's what I was going to ask you. Ever since I helped with Parkers sleepover you've been weird around me. did I do something to upset you?" 10K asks.

"No. Yes. No. I don't know." Liv stammers.

"OK? Care to explain?" 10K asks confused.

"Well Maddie told me what happened after I was basically knocked out from lack of fluids and everyone has been teasing me because of it and I don't know what to make of it." Liv tells him.

"What happened after you were knocked out?" 10K asks still not getting it.

"You know, you putting me under the covers lovingly, brushing my hair and you lingered." Liv recalls her sister's description.

"Oh that, well yeah. About that, uhm. I'm sorry? I guess I got lost in the moment? I know you only want a normal friend and I'm OK with that. I would be lying though if I told you that I'm not growing to like you more than that." 10K says uncertain of what her reaction will be.

"So, you do like me like that." Liv exclaims slightly surprised.

"I thought you would have known that already. Your brother was this close to calling me brother in law the whole night because he liked me so much." 10K tells her laughing and showing her a small gap between his fingers.

"Wait what now?" Liv asks shocked hearing of this the first time.

"Well I guess you really didn't know. How about this, I like you a lot Liv but if you don't feel that way about me, we'll forget we ever had this conversation and hit a reset, carrying on from when we were friends and it wasn't awkward, meaning before the party. Now I don't want an answer now, how about you give me one at the Scream Fest?" 10K suggests.  
"OK." Liv agrees awkwardly with her thoughts running wild inside her head.

"Great. I'll give you some space until then, so see you in 3 days I guess." 10K tells her walking out of the closet, feeling better now that this is off his chest but still fears that Liv won't like him back, but he guesses he won't be off any worse than now."

* * *

Over the next three days Liv is wracking her brain, having spilled what happened to her twin minutes after 10K told her that he likes her, but Maddie promised to not influence her in any way and even offered some suggestions for how to figure out if she likes him like a pro and con list. Needless to say her suggestion didn't really get her anywhere.

"Great now I'm going to this stupid Halloween party and still have no idea if I want to risk our friendship for a potential romance." Liv curses while Maddie is putting on her knight outfit, having made plans with Diggie to go as knights.

"Still I think not showing up would be worse than telling him that you need more time." Maddie reminds her.

"Yeah yeah, I'm going I just don't want you to see my costume beforehand." Liv tells her.

"OK. I'm going now, see you at the party." Maddie tells her and makes her way to the school with Liv following her after a few minutes, dressed as a kangaroo.

After a while Maddie is still trying to help Joey with talking to a girl and thinks about who he could practice on and get a positive response to make him more confident when a Kangaroo hops up to her asking "Good day mate, can I borrow your sword to skewer the shrimp for the barbecue?"

"Not now, so hop along." Maddie tells her only to get pulled to the side by her and Liv then pops up her head telling her Maddie, it's me Liv."

"Liv? I had no idea that was you." Maddie says.

"OK but don't tell anyone because Ocean is looking for me and I want to talk to 10K on my terms, so it's better he doesn't know who I am, so I can gather the courage to talk to him." Liv tells her.

"Wait a minute, if I didn't recognize you then neither will Joey. This is perfect, He's been striking out all night and needs a win before he can talk to Skyla, so I need you to go flirt with our brother." Maddie says.

"Seriously? I'm having my own romance drama and you want to involve me in Joey's as well?" Liv asks.

"Yeah I'm sorry, you probably couldn't handle an acting job this challenging anyways." Maddie says challenging her sister.

"I know what you're doing and I accept your challenge." Liv replies and then makes her way over to Joey, who is dancing by himself at a corner in the hallway, having driven away the girls that were previously dancing there.

"Good day mate. Got to respect a boy who's not afraid to dance solo in the hallway, in a jumpsuit." Liv tells him.

"I hope this isn't Kangarooed, but I can't help wondering if trapped inside that Kangaroo is a stone-cold fox." Joey says in his Elvis costume.

"I'm Sandy the foreign exchange student from Australia." Liv introduces her fake persona.

"Joey, dark, mysterious with just a touch of whimsy and not one cavity." Joey introduces himself.

"Well Joey, you are quite the catch." She tells him hitting his shoulder flirtingly.

"No Kangaroo ever said that to me before, I'm gonna leave this conversation on a high note." Joey says walking away while making a high-pitched note.

While Maddie and Diggie are playing a Halloween version of bowling Joey comes up to them telling them "great news, I can talk to girls now."

"Awesome you talked to Skyla?" Maddie asks excitedly.

"Nope, I figured why am I chasing after Skyla, I already talked to a really cool girl and I'm gonna ask her out." Joey tells them.

"Wait what girl?" Maddie asks.

"An Australian Kangaroo foreign exchange student. Thanks Maddie, you fixed me, everything that happens from this point forward is because of you." Joey thanks her.

* * *

Meanwhile with Liv

Liv is hopping around still baffled on what to tell 10K, who should be the guy dressed in a sniper camo suit with the rifle.

"Having a good time tonight sunflower?" Liv asks Ocean in her Australian accent.

"Of course, I am, it's scream fest. And I just won best home-made costume. And I'm about to find my friend, Liv Rooney. She's close, I can feel it." Ocean tells her.

"She might be closer than you think." Liv hints.

"You're right. Werewolf right ahead." Ocean says chasing after someone dressed in a werewolf costume.

After Ocean left Maddie shows up saying "Ugh I've been looking for you everywhere. Mayor disaster, Joey digs the Kangaroo lady."

"Wow, a little coincidental there is someone else dressed in a lady Kangaroo outfit." Liv says.

"Nope, just you." Maddie replies.

"You were supposed to let him practice talking to girls and not get him crushing on you." Maddie tells her.

"Good day Sandy." Joey says seeing Liv and goes over to them.

"I had a great time tonight. What do you say, you, me froyo? Anything you want for under 7 dollars." Joey offers. 10K who has known that Liv is the Kangaroo for a while decides to help her out and goes over to her in his camo suit, putting his arm around her fake Kangaroo head telling Joey "Sorry Elvis this Kangaroo is already taken."

Joey looks at him for a second deciding if he should try and win the Kangaroo over, when 10K in the camo suit suddenly takes out a knife, throwing it at a piece of meat on a plate, middling it. After seeing this Joey takes off running.

"You knew that it was me?" Liv asks 10K, who took of the foilage covered hood while picking up his knife and eating the meat.

"Sure, I knew for a while but since I sprung my confession on you the first time, I thought it would be fair to let you make the next move. But seeing your situation with your brother I thought you might need me." 10K replies.

"You were the only one who knew it was me." Liv says taking off her head only to hear Ocean yell her name surprised.

"You have this tick you do when you're nervous, but it took me a while longer to spot with that three fingered costume." 10K tells her with a smirk.

"Look, since you were trying to avoid me, I'm pretty sure you don't know how you feel about me yet and that's OK. I needed some time to realize my feelings myself, so take as long as you…" 10K tells her but gets cut off by her lips crashing into his.

"You sure about this?" 10K asks her with a bright smile on his face.

"Not really but I want to give this a shot. I like you a lot more than a normal friend, but I wasn't sure if risking our friendship would be worth it." Liv tells him.

"I know what you mean, but this feels right. Well actually not really with the stuffy costumes, but you know what I mean." 10K tells her, hugging her as best as he can given their costumes.


	4. Chapter 4

Liv and 10K

| a few days later|

Joey is having a meeting with Artie, his nemesis intending for them to join forces and compete in the brain-Olympics for their school. Artie agrees, leaving them one day left to look for a third member.

|later that day -Rooney house|

"Joey, the whole entire school is buzzing about you and your brain-Olympics team." Liv says excitedly walking into the kitchen, where her brother was sitting.

"They are?" Joey asks excited.

"No. I heard you practicing your victory speech in the bathroom. Dear fellow brain-Olympians…" Liv tells him, pretending to be him at the end.

"We get it, we get it." Joey tells her annoyed, stopping her.

"So, do you have a third team member yet?" Liv asks him.

"No, not yet but we don't have to turn in the roster until tomorrow." Joey tells her confident that they will find one easily.

"Well, I have the perfect team-mate for you. Me." Liv tells him cheerfully.

"You?" Joey asks incredulously in between laughs.

"Yeah, I mean it's the perfect opportunity for me to change my image." Liv tells him, having grown bothered by everyone thinking she's just a dumb blonde because she played such a character on TV.

"I mean I want to be seen as more than just a cute, stylish and adorable bombshell." Liv says.

"Let me get this straight you want to go from Sheik to geek?" Joey asks confused.

"Yeah, I just want to prove to people that I can nerd out." Liv replies.

"I said geek not nerd, the fact that you don't know the difference means that you are neither. Sorry Liv but the dream team is for geeks only, consider my rejection a compliment." Joey tells her opposed to the idea of her joining his team.

While this is going on in the living room Maddie is collecting stuff for her yard sale with Willow, when her mother comes upon this and takes a few things, hiding them because she can't let go of them.

* * *

|the next day - at school|

Liv and 10K meet up in the first break, since she knows that Joey will recruit members in the second break she has to act now.

"Hey Liv." 10K greets his girlfriend.

"Hi Tommy, look I know this might seem weird of me to ask but I'm going to need you to scare a few geeks." Liv tells him, pulling him to the side.

"Come again?" 10K asks confused.

"Long story short, I want to be on Joey's brain-Olympics team and have to get rid of the competition since he won't let me join." Liv explains.

"OK, so what do you want me to do exactly?" 10K asks.

"Just stop every geek you see and tell them that they should stay clear of Joey and Artie today because they are planning a prank." Liv tells him.

"Alright, better get to it then. Meet again after school?" 10K replies.

"Thanks and of course." Liv replies, giving him a quick peck on the lips before she runs over to the first geek she sees and trash talks her brother. 10K watches this with a small grin before he leaves himself, looking for geeks and tells them the story Liv made up.

|later that day|

"Join our squad and you'll get a free pretzel." Joey offers a geek walking by, but he ignores Joey completely.

"Usually geeks love pretzels, why won't anyone join up?" Joey asks Artie annoyed.

"I don't know but we only have 5 minutes to find a third team mate and turn in our roster to the science department and how long are you going to wave that pretzel in my face without giving me something." Artie tells him while joey twirls a pretzel in his hand.

"Sorry." Joey says and breaks it in half after which both boys take a bite out of it simultaneously.

"Oh, hey smarties. How is the dream team coming?" Liv asks pretending to walk by them by chance.

"It's not, we've got no one and time is running out." Artie replies frustrated.

"Oh, where are my manners. Hey girl." Artie adds, trying to sound and look seductively.

"Well, my offer to be the third brain still stands." Liv offers ignoring Artie and starts to walk away slowly.

"Liv wait. Joey I'm not missing out on brain-Olympics. We need that third member." Artie says.

"We can't win with her, we better just sign up whoever walks by next." Joey replies.

"Hey Liv." 10K says walking up to the group.

"Oh, Thomas how about you join our brain-Olympics team?" Joey shouts getting in between him and Liv.

"You're still looking? I thought Liv was going to offer to join your team, are you telling me you won't let your sister join your team?" 10K asks threateningly.

"Oh Liv, I didn't see you there. Sign here." Joey says handing her the roster sheet.

"Oh Yay." Liv says happily, signing her name on the sheet.

"Excuse me I need to get this down to the science department." Joey says trying to flee the intimidating presence of 10K.

"I can get it down to the office faster than you." Artie says snatching the board and slides down the hallway on his shoes with rolls in the heels.

"Joey, you're coming to art class with me. This time I'm not kidding about sketching you." Willow says, running up to the teen and dragging him away despite his struggling.

"Well, she's determined." 10K says not used to Willows obsession.

"Yeah. Anyways, thanks for your help Tommy. I don't think scaring Joey was necessary, but it was fun to watch him squirm." Liv thanks him, hugging her boyfriend.

"No problem, anytime." 10K replies, hugging her back when the bell rings signaling their next class.

"Well, gotta go but I want to hear about this brain-Olympics after school alright?" Thomas tells her, releasing her from the hug.

"Sure." Liv agrees looking forward to spending some time with him, because despite them having gotten together just a few days ago they didn't really have time to talk, first because Maddie had Diggie trouble and then because 10K had something to do at work and now because Joey was being unreasonable.

* * *

|After school|

"10K over here." Liv says cheerfully, waving to her boyfriend from her seat on a bench in front of the school.

"Ready to go?" 10K asks her, offering his hand.

"Yes." Liv replies, getting up and taking his hand as they start their walk to her house.

"You know you didn't have to take time off work to walk me home, right?" Liv says once they made their way past the crowd of teens leaving school.

"I know, but I wanted to. I don't intend to let me working stop us from enjoying our time together." 10K replies giving her a kiss on the back of the hand he's holding, making her giggle happily.

"You know if my dad sees this, he'll freak." Liv says.

"I'm not really worried. Your mom seems to like me though." 10K says.

"She does. I'm actually thinking about telling her to slowly break the news to dad once I told her we're going out." Liv explains.

"Could work. Either way, I'm on board." 10K replies.

"By the way how are you and Maddie getting along?" Liv asks him.

"I'd say we're on friendly terms. She seems to accept me as your boyfriend and actually seems kind of excited to go on a double date with us. I told her that we still haven't gone on a date by ourselves yet, so she agreed to wait until she brings it up again." 10K informs her.

"That's great. I really want you two to get along well, she's my most precious person." Liv says.

"Still have two parents and two other siblings." Thomas says fake coughing.  
"I know, I know but with Maddie it's just different." Liv tries to explain.

"I was just teasing. I know her being your twin is very important to you, what was it again? Sisters by chance friends by choice?" Thomas asks her.

"Yes, you know we actually made a painting of that, I have to show you sometime." Liv replies.

"I'm looking forward to it." 10K agrees.

"Well, here we are." Liv says stopping in front of her house, facing her boyfriend.

"And you are OK with not coming in to hang out? I don't want you to feel left out or anything, I'm just worried about my father." Liv asks.

"No, no, I get it. I'm gonna head back to the shooting range to see how Doc is handling things. See you tomorrow. By the way I'm gonna come to your brain-Olympics tomorrow, but I might run a little late I have an errand to run out of town tomorrow, but I'll try to get there as soon as I can." 10K tells her.

"Great. I can't wait. By the way I'd also like to meet your foster father and thank him for helping you get some us time." Liv replies, before she pulls him in for a deep kiss.

"As a good luck charm for me tomorrow." Liv tells him with a wink and makes her way inside her house while 10K heads over to his shooting range.

* * *

|the next day- near the Rooney house|

10K and Doc have been visiting a bigger city to take part in an auction where they were hoping to get some new equipment for their businesses, both 10Ks shooting range and Doc's psychiatry.

They are currently on their way to the school, since 10K doesn't want to miss his girlfriends' event and are driving down the street where she lives.

"That's her house over there. The one with the many people in it's backyard?" 10K tells Doc.

"Sweet, that her?" Doc asks his godson.

"No, I told you she's at the school in an event. That's her twin sister." 10K explains.

"Ah right, I remember. Anyways, good haul we got today huh?" Doc tells him motioning to the back of their van, where they have a few furniture pieces they got at the auction.

"Yeah. We really got lucky today." 10K agrees.

"I still don't get why you wanted that couch and drawer though? You live in the shooting range despite me offering you my 'garden room'." Doc says putting air quotes on garden room, which is actually a room where he grows some of his own weed.

"I appreciate the offer Doc, really but I'm doing OK at the range, it's basically just across the street anyways and all of the office space isn't needed right now anyways so it doesn't matter if I live there." 10K tells him.

"I know kid, still why the new furniture?" Doc asks.

"Well since I'm kind of getting more social now thanks to Liv it's possible that I'll get a visitor sometime and I don't want to appear like a total caveman OK?" 10K informs him.

"I see, well it's good to see that your lady friend has a positive effect on you." Doc tells him.

10K turns around and looks out the window when he suddenly sees a woman walking down the street with a childish painting that says, 'sisters by chance, friends by choice'. Recognizing the sentence and seeing two little blond girls holding hands on the painting he realizes that this must be Liv's painting.

"Doc, pull over." 10K tells his godfather, making him pull over to the right and stop the car.

"What's …" and he's already gone." Doc says trying to ask him what's going on but 10K already left the vehicle and is jogging up to the woman.

"Excuse me, ma'am." 10K says coming up behind her.

"Yes?" the woman asks surprised.

"Do you mind telling me where you got that painting from?" He asks her.

"Just down the street, that house over there." She tells him pointing at the Rooney's house.

"Just as I thought. I think there must have been a mistake ma'am. That painting belongs to my girlfriend and I know for a fact that she's at an event at our school right now. Do you mind if I buy it off you?" 10K asks her hopefully.

"I guess you can have it, I only payed 50 cents for it anyways." She agrees and hands him the painting.

"Thank you so much, here's 5 bucks, have a good day." 10K thanks her and hands her the bill before he jogs back to the van and stores the painting in the back somewhere secure.

"Alright, we can go on." 10K tells Doc, who pulls back on the road and drives them towards the school.

"Mind telling me what that was about kid?" Doc asks his young companion.

"That should be Liv's painting and must've been sold by mistake. But don't say anything, I'm not sure it's hers and I don't want it to seem like I jumped to conclusions." 10K tells him.

"Alright, well I'm looking forward to seeing the girl that has you worried over such details." Doc says impressed by 10Ks effort.

"You won't have to wait long, we're almost there." 10K tells him, pointing at the school which they can see from their position.

* * *

|At the brain-Olympics'|

Liv split from Joey's team because he was undermining her intelligence constantly and Artie was constantly flirting with her, so she decides to build her own device. The challenge the teams face is building a device which paints a face by using the objects they were allowed to collect at the beginning of the competition.

10K and Doc arrive in the gym, walking over to the stands and 10K asks Johnny Nimbus who's announcing the event what they're doing. After getting filled in 10K goes back over to Doc and fills him in as well.

"So which one is your gal?" Doc asks him, looking around the gym.

"Liv is the blonde over there in the purple overall." 10K tells him, pointing at Liv.

"Why is she working alone? Didn't you say this is a three-man competition?" Doc asks.

"That's probably because her brother, the glasses wearing kid doesn't think she's smart enough to help them." 10K informs him.

"I see." Doc replies.

They continue to watch for maybe another twenty minutes when the countdown starts and Liv, Joey and Artie who rejoined forces in that time, start their device and paint a picture of the school's mascot just in time, winning the competition.

"And the judges have spoken, have a round of applause for this years champions, Ridgewood High." Johnny Nimbus says as the judges hold up their votes.

Liv pulls Joey in for a hug after which she gets hugged by Artie, who won't let her go.

10K seeing this since they're sitting just behind them goes over to their team, tapping Artie's shoulder, who turns around asking "What already want autographs?" still having one arm around Liv's shoulders much to her dismay.

"Uhm dude, you know that's my girlfriend you're glomping onto, there right?" 10K tells him annoyed.

"Girlfriend? How could you, I thought we had something special." Artie asks Liv dramatically."

"When, like when did I ever give you that impression?" Liv asks annoyed at the red-headed eccentric.

"Never mind, minions. We leave." Artie says leaving with his group of followers.

"Congrats, you did it." 10K tells Liv happy for her and gives her a big hug.

"Want to introduce us kid?" Doc asks having strolled over to them and Joey.

"Oh sorry, Liv this is Doc my godfather and Doc, this is Liv and her brother Joey." 10K says pointing at the respective person.

"It's nice to meet you Mr." Liv says, unsure of what to call him.

"Oh just call me Doc, everybody does." Doc tells her smiling.

"Alright then." Liv agrees.

"So, you guys catching a ride with us?" Doc asks the two teens dressed in purple overalls.

"Yes, we'd love to. Right Joey?" Liv says, poking her brother.

"I don't know he was kind of mean… Yes, we'd love to." Joey says, changing his opinion once Liv pinches him.

"Joey, I was only trying to make you let Liv join the team, no hard feelings OK?" 10K tells him, making the geeky teen sigh out in relieve.

"Well come on then kids." Doc says and leads the group outside to their van.

"So where were you? You said you went out of town." Liv asks 10K once they are in the car with everyone squeezing in the front, with 10K sitting in between of Doc and Liv, who is also next to Joey.

"Yeah, we went to this auction 2 towns over where they sold furniture, I was a little void of any to be honest." 10K tells her embarrassedly.

"By the way what was going on at your house? We passed it on our way here and there was kind of a gathering there." 10K asks her.

"Oh yeah, Maddie is having a yard sale to finance some kind of trip she and Willow want to go on." Liv explains.

Soon after they pull up to the house and let the Rooney siblings out. "Congrats again and I'll come by later again if it's OK with you. I'm just gonna unload the van with Doc and come back over.

"OK, see you later then." Liv says cheerfully and waves him goodbye once Doc pulls back onto the road.

Liv and Joey head inside, where he apologizes again for underestimating her before she makes her way back to her room. Once inside her room she sees Maddie crying on her bed and hurries over to her twin asking "what happened? What's wrong Maddie?"

Maddie points at the empty spot where their twin-painting used to be and says "Mom taught me a lesson, forced my hand and I didn't cave and now our painting is sold off god knows where." Crying into her sisters' shoulder.

"It's gonna be OK. We can make a new one, a better one." Liv says, putting up a strong front even though this hits her as much as it does her twin.

"No it's not. My stubbornness cost us our sisterly bond." Maddie cries.

Liv sends 10K a quick text while hugging her sister, blinking her own tears out of her eyes.

'Don't come over, Maddie is a wreck because she sold our painting. :sadface: '

10K reads this sends back 'Still coming over. Don't worry, you'll see why once I'm there.'

Liv reads this confused and puts her phone away, giving her sister her full attention while pulling herself together for her.

After 10K and Doc finish unloading the Van he gets the painting and makes his way over to Liv as quickly as his bike can carry him while he's got the painting strapped to his back.

* * *

Once he arrives at the Rooney's house he knocks on the backdoor and Mrs. Rooney opens the door saying "Thomas? I'm sorry you've come at a bad time. Maddie and Liv are sad and holed up in their room.

"I know, can I just come in?" Thomas asks, getting let in by her and shows her the painting.

"This is why they're sad right?" He asks her.

"How did you get that?" The mother asks shocked.

"I saw someone walking down the street earlier today and bought it back in case my hunch payed off and it is Liv's." 10K explains.

"Oh they're gonna be so happy to see this." Karen Rooney tells him.

"Let's hope so." 10K replies and makes his way up to the girls' room.

Once he's there he knocks on the door, not getting a reply other than hearing sniffling coming out of the room and decides to peek in.

"Liv, Maddie?" He asks looking around the room only to see them sitting on Maddie's bed sadly.

"Thomas? Why did you come over? I told you there is a situation going on." Liv asks.

"I thought this might help resolve it." 10K says walking in the room and shows them the painting.

"Where did you? ..." Maddie asks when Liv suddenly gets up from the bed and hands Maddie the picture and starts to give 10K small kisses over and over again all over his face, saying "Thank you" countless times.

"Uhh, guys get a room." Maddie says uncomfortably.

"This is my room. Don't like it, don't look." Liv says sticking out her tongue at her twin before she pulls 10K who's helplessly glued to the floor in for one last, long kiss.

During this kiss however Pete Rooney walks into his daughters' room to see how they're doing and sees Liv kissing 10K who's got her lipstick all over his face.

"What is going on here?" Pete shouts angrily.

"Oh, daddy. Met my boyfriend yet? Thomas." Liv says awkwardly, releasing the still stunned teen from her hold.

"Why is he in your room and why is there your lipstick all over his face?" Pete asks angrily.

"You see what happened was… run 10K." Liv starts to say before she tries to get 10K to flee her father's grasp.

"Huh?" 10K asks snapping out of his trance and prepares to dodge the father charging at him until he notices Liv still standing close to him, meaning she'd get hit instead, so instead of dodging he takes on her father head on, who pushes him down.

"Now listen here son, I never want to see your face around here again you hear me?" Pete says threateningly, picking 10K up, one arm behind his back and leads him downstairs, ignoring his daughters pleads and yells of anger.

Once outside he pushes 10K down the driveway when Liv runs past him and hugs 10K worried about him.  
"Did he hurt you? I'm so sorry." Liv rambles on.

"It's alright. I'm gonna see you in school OK, I don't want you to get in any more trouble because of me." 10K tells her, leaving before her father freaks out again and makes another scene.

"I can't believe you did that dad, he did nothing wrong. Literally nothing, I kissed him, he didn't even get the chance to kiss me back and still you violently kicked him out." Liv screams angrily, stomping inside and going to her room throwing the door closed behind her.

"Is he OK?" Maddie asks her sister.

"Yes, but I'm not sure our relationship will be. Why didn't he just dodge or fight back? Didn't you and mom say he's this amazing fighter?" Liv asks her sister while Pete is listening in on the conversation through the door.

"Yes, he is but if he fought back you'd be in trouble. If he dodged dads charge, dad would have hit you instead and after that I don't think he wanted you to see him fight our dad." Maddie informs her.

"I really hope he's OK. He was so brash when he said goodbye." Liv says worriedly.

"I'm sure it's going to be fine. I mean he clearly cares about you." Maddie says handing Liv their painting.

"Yes, he does doesn't he." Liv says a small smile on her lips as she hugs the painting before hanging it back where it belongs.

Later that night Pete Rooney got a lecture from his wife about how he should know to control his temper and accept the girls' having boyfriends.


	5. Chapter 5

|After the weekend|

10k having heard that Liv and Maddie's birthday is coming up decides that he'd better deal with their father beforehand to avoid causing another scene. So, he chose to approach him after one of his gym lessons.

Pete Rooney is busy cleaning up after his gym lesson when 10k comes in. 10k quickly helps pick up some stuff his girlfriend's father would have to sort away and walks over to him.

"Uhm, hey can we talk?" He asks.

"What do you want?" Pete asks surprised to see him there.

"Well the last time we met there was a misunderstanding and I wanted to clear it up since Liv's birthday is coming up." 10k replies.

"Understanding huh?" Pete inquires doubtfully.

"Well it is true that Liv kissed me but it's not like I asked or forced her to, so I don't see what the big deal is." 10k tells him.

"The big deal is, my little girl is too young to be going around kissing boys." Pete replies angered.

"Don't you think that's for her to decide by now? I mean she'll be 16 years old soon. Anyways, I just wanted to try and clear things up before her birthday so there won't be any drama, it's up to you now. And by the way you can stop the trying to scare me off bit, I don't intend to give up on Liv that easily." 10k says, putting the equipment away and leaves the gym.

"Well I do respect that he told the truth but that doesn't change that my girls are too young for boyfriends." Pete murmurs to himself.

After he dealt with Liv's dad for now, he goes back to his classes and meets up with Liv after school.

"Hey, there you OK?" Liv asks him worried that after what happened the other day with her dad he'd never talk to her again, meeting up with him at the bench in front of the school.

"Yeah. In fact, if you want, I took today off work and we can do whatever you want." 10K offers, taking her hand as she sits down next to him.

"Really? But I feel guilty for what happened with my dad, why don't you decide for us to do something?" Liv replies.

"Don't worry about your dad. I tried to clear up the air earlier today, can't promise it worked though." 10K says trying to cheer her up and gives her a hug while kissing her temple.

"Still maybe I could have done something, like…" Liv says solemnly and 10k stops her with a gentle kiss.

"Stop worrying so much. Come on, let's think of something to do today." 10k tells her, getting up and pulling her up and puts his arm around her.

"Okay, any ideas?" Liv asks trying to get over her worries.

"Not really." 10k says sheepishly.

"Hmm, how about I visit your place. You've already been to my house a few times and I still don't know where you live." Liv says excitedly.

"Sure, it'll be loud though." 10K agrees.

"Loud?" Liv asks herself surprised but thinks he's kidding.

"Let's go then." 10k says and leads her to his house hand in hand.

* * *

|a few minutes later - shooting range|

"So, this is where you live?" Liv asks surprised that he took her to what looks to be his late fathers' shooting range.

"Yeah, there are a few rooms intended for office use but since it's mainly me and Doc running the place, I thought why not use it my own home." 10k says unsure of what her reaction will be.

"You mean you don't even live with your godfather?" Liv asks surprised.

"Yeah, but he lives right over there." 10K tells her, pointing at a house across the street with a sign saying 'Doc's veteran psychiatrist office'

"I see, so we'll be all alone?" Liv says.

"Is that a problem?" 10k asks.

"No, just imagining what my dad would say." Liv replies amused.

"Yeah he'd better not know I live by myself for now." 10k agrees with a laugh.

"Come on in. This way we avoid the noise and the customers." He then says, opening a side door for Liv, leading directly into the former office space.

They enter and Liv looks around his home and the first thing she notices is a big window with a beautiful view over a wide greenspace, with some Targets set up here and there.

"Wow. I thought this place would be smaller." Liv tells him.

"Well the actual building is, but the backyard if you want to call it that is quite big yeah. It's actually quite a nice view at night or when there are no customers using it." 10k replies.

"I agree." Liv says taking in the sight for a while.

"So what else you got in your home?" Liv asks moving around his place, once she's taken her eyes off the backyard.

"Well to be honest until your brain-olympics event there actually only was a bed and the kitchen area." 10k tells her.

"Why?" Liv asks.

"Didn't really feel the need to get more at the time." He answers.

"So, what changed your mind?" She asks him curiously, flopping down on his new couch.

"You did. I didn't want to make a bad impression if you paid a visit." He replies embarrassedly.

"Do I look that shallow to you?" Liv asks with a fake pout.

"No, but still I thought that a little more furniture couldn't hurt and before I met you I didn't have any friends so there wasn't really any chance of someone other than me seeing this place. And I thought a little more normal home would make you feel more comfortable." He tells her, sitting down next to her on the wide couch.

"Well I like your place, so I guess mission accomplished?" Liv says playfully.

"Could use some things though to make it homier, like décor and some colors or paintings on the wall." She tells him.

"Guess you're right." 10k agrees looking around.

"Maybe you could help me decorate some other time then?" 10k suggests.

"Are you sure you want a girl meddling in your home?" Liv asks doubtfully.

"Well until you just said it like that I was, still I think it'd be fun even if we only bounced some ideas around." He replies with a laugh.

"You're on." Liv agrees.

"So, is there anything you want to do for now? We could watch some TV, or I could cook us something." He tells her.

"Sure, sounds great. Where is your remote?" Liv asks.

"Good question." 10k says looking around his home thoughtfully, before he goes over to a closet and looks through one of the boards.

"Ah, found it." He tells her, going back over to her and hands her the remote.

"Let's see." She says looking though his setup and decides to install Netflix on his TV so they can watch her show with her telling him stories of the filming.

"Okay, I'm setting your TV up so we can watch my show while I tell you about it, since you said you've never seen it." She tells him.

"Great, I'll make us something to eat in the meantime then." 10k tells her and goes over to the kitchen part of his home.

"How about I cook you my famous veggie Mac and cheese?" 10k asks.

"Sounds great, want some help?" She offers, coming over to him.

They then cook their meal together and afterwards watch a few episodes of Liv's show, until they notice the time.

"Oh, it's already 6pm. I better make my way home or dad is going to freak out again." Liv says somewhat disappointed.

"Want me to take you home?" 10k offers.

"No, thanks. I think it's better if we don't risk you encountering my dad so soon." She replies.

"OK if you say so. I had a great time today." He tells her, walking to the door with her.

"I enjoyed it as well. We should do it again soon." She tells him before she turns around to him, putting her arms around his neck, making him lean forward slightly due to him being taller and they kiss each other passionately.

"Thanks for showing me your home and being honest about it." She says happily.

"See you tomorrow?" He asks grinning widely and she just nods with a smile of her own before she leaves to get home.


	6. Chapter 6

A few days later Liv and Maddie are discussing what they should do for their party but realize that their tastes have changed too much and are unable to compromise between a red gala party and a cowboy themed party.  
Karen, hoping to settle the disagreement designs their living room into two divided parties with one half in Liv's taste and the other in Maddie's taste but Liv disagrees and wants to change the party to her theme, when their parents accidentally reveal to the family, that they have different birthdays, with Liv being born on the 5th and Maddie on the 6th. The next day after school Maddie is lying in her room sulking, when her mother comes in and offers to throw her, her own party after apologizing for keeping the secret for so long.  
Maddie turns down the offer telling her that she doesn't even want a birthday party this year.  
Karen informs the rest of the family of Maddie's decision but Liv knows her sister better and plans to throw her a secret surprise party, so the next day at school with the help of Joey and Maddie's friends she gets her sister angry and gets her to go to the Hoosecow with her friends on the 5th. Giving her enough time to prepare a party for Maddie.

* * *

The next day at the Hoosecow  
Liv is eating with her friends Stains, Willow and Diggie at the cowboy themed restaurant and is having a blast. Diggie gets a call and leaves to answer Liv's call secretly.  
"This is jailhouse 1 over." He says.  
"Diggie, how's it going?" Liv asks hyped up about surprising her sister.  
"It's great, we just ordered desert and she doesn't suspect a thing." Diggie answers.  
"Desert? You can't be at desert already, it's barely 10 o'clock. You need to keep her out of the house until midnight." she orders.  
"Yeah, I'll do what I can but I didn't expect service to be this fantastic at a restaurant like this." Diggie replies.  
"Diggie, I'm trying to do something nice for my sister. Do not make me regret trusting you." Liv tells him and hangs up.  
"The fate of my plan rests on someone called Diggie." Liv says to herself dreadfully.  
"Come on Liv, this is not like you. Cheer up and power through, if push comes to shove, I'll think of something to keep her away until you're ready. Deal?" 10K tells her, putting his Arm around her shoulders supportively.  
"Thanks, I needed this." Liv thanks him, getting up and continues to prepare the surprise in their backyard.  
"Thomas, watch your hands." Pete warns the teenager sitting on their couch.  
"Dad! You promised not today." Liv yells, having heard him.  
"Sorry sweety." Pete apologizes but motions to 10K that he's watching him.  
10K just shakes his head at the father's antics and enters the kitchen asking Karen "Can I help with anything Mrs. Rooney?"  
"No thank you. Maybe Joey could use a hand." She tells him.  
"Alright." 10K says and goes into the backyard where Joey is helping Liv put up some decorations.  
"Need a hand?" 10K asks them and quickly gets tasked with some of the more physically exhausting preparations.  
Half an hour later Parker joins them outside, greeting 10K with a high five, much to his father's disappointment and adds his thoughts on what could be better, suggesting for Joey and Pete to make the windmill actually spin. 10K voices his concern about their plan but Pete not wanting to agree with his newest foe: 10K gets to work with his son, putting their lawnmower motor behind the windmill blades while 10K went to the gun range to fetch some outdoor furniture as well as collect Doc for the party, wanting to use this chance to introduce him to everyone.

* * *

Meanwhile at the Hoosecow Diggie was in luck and Stains takes part in something that is called the rotisserie chicken stockade challenge, buying him a fair amount of time.  
After stains finished the challenge the server comes over to their table, saying "I heard it's your birthday little lady."  
"Uh thanks but it's not actually my birthday." She replies.  
"Still, blow out the candle, it's somebody's birthday." The man dressed as a sheriff tells her, giving her the cupcake.  
"Go ahead Maddie, make a wish." Diggie tells her.  
"Guys, I can't. Sheriff Tim was right, it is somebody's birthday, it's Liv's and the only wish that popped into my head was that we were blowing out our candles together, so..." Maddie tells them and gets up but the others sit still.  
"UH, get up." Maddie tells them.  
"You sure, we've only been here for four hours." Diggie says nervously, when behind Maddie Sheriff Tim puts someone into the cell with an all you can eat buffet and Diggie reacts quickly, telling the waiter to lock her up instead. After Maddie is locked up Diggie is happy about his successful move in stalling their blonde friend but is cut short when Maddie stands behind him, having unlocked herself from the cell, telling them "We're outta here."

45 min later  
"Ugh great we're late. Seriously Diggie 16 wrong turns?" Maddie asks her boyfriend bewildered.  
"And I never heard about a law where you can only go five miles when Going past a graveyard." She adds confused.  
"That's just paying respect man." Stains tells her.  
"wait a second, I don't hear music and the red carpet is rolled up. Guys, I missed Liv's birthday." Maddie complains and storms into the house, finding it empty.  
She moves from room to room looking for her family until she goes into the backyard.  
"Surprise!" Everyone yells.  
"Happy sweet 16 Maddie." Liv zells her.  
"Wait this is all for me? Where is your red-carpet party?" Maddie asks confused.  
"Oh, there was no party. I totally played you, but don't feel bad though, I am a day older." She replies.  
"Aww, Liv. Minigolf it's just like old times." Maddie says touched. by her sisters' gesture.  
"We got so wrapped up in what party we wanted that we forgot the best part was doing it together." Liv says.  
"Someone made you a cake." Karen says, getting Maddie's attention on her birthday cake.  
"A basketball cake, guys this is amazing." Maddie thanks them.  
"Maddie, we've also got you a number 6 jersey since we figured you'd your new number.  
"Actually, I've decided to stick with the number 5. That's the day my best friend was born. So Liv, come over here. Let's blow out these candles." Maddie says.  
"Hold on one second, I want to get a video of this, and I forgot my phone in the garage." Liv replies, leaving to fetch her phone.  
"Video? Then we've got to have the windmill blowing. Dad turn it on." Parker says.  
Pete hits a button, turning on the windmill and making it spin.  
"We did it boys." Pete tells his sons happily.  
"See what happens when you listen to parker." Parker gloats.  
The windmill however quickly spins out of control and sucks in the cake, firing it a the party guests and the garage.  
"We have to turn this thing off." Maddie says.  
"Don't worry birthday girl, your hero is here." Diggie tells her, walking against the wind.  
"Hey superhero, plug's right here." Maddie says, holding up the power cord while the wind dies down.  
Liv then comes out of the garage and sees her family other than Maddie standing against the garage with cake plastered all over them and around them.  
"Woah." She says stunned.  
"Nice work on the cake mom." Parker says, licking some of his finger after collecting it from Joey's shirt.  
A few minutes later 10K arrives with Doc. "Hey, I've brought the... Windmill?" 10K says asking the last part Liv.  
"Yes, this is curtesy of Joey and Dad." Liv replies accusingly.  
"Do you even still need the garden furniture then?" 10K asks, getting a head shake no in response.  
"Well I told them it would go wrong, anyways where is Maddie?"10K says, getting pointed to Liv's sister and walks over to her with Doc who says, "Woah this looks like that barmitzwa I went to after I took those pills."  
10K then wishes Maddie a happy birthday and introduces Doc to everyone. The party then goes on for another 2 hours during which 10K took Karen to the side and asks her for help with the surprise he's planning for Liv.

* * *

Later that day Liv gets a call from 10K who asks her if she can come over to his place because he wants to give her his present and she tells him that she'll be right over, excited and curious what her boyfriend got her. She looks for her family to tell them that she'll be back later but can't find anyone. After leaving a note she heads over to 10K's place.  
Once there she knocks on the door to his place and soon after he opens.  
"Hey. Come on, your present is this way." He tells her and takes her hand, leading her to a gate, which leads to the greenspace behind the shooting range.  
"You really know how to make a girl curious." Liv tells him.  
"Close your eyes." Thomas instructs and Liv covers her eyes with her free hand, following 10K who leads her over the grassy area.  
"Alright, open them." 10K says releasing her hand. She removes her hand from her eyes and sees her family, Ocean and Diggie dressed in evening gowns and tuxes with a big red carpet rolled over the middle of the field and a few decorated tables located near it as well as the few targets having balloons on them and the dummies having party hats on.  
"Happy birthday!" They all yell.  
"Wha... But we just had a party." Liv says stunned.  
"Thomas insisted you get a party of your liking as well." Karen informs her.  
"Why?" she asks him happy that he cares for her so much.  
" You were so focused on Maddie's party, you forgot that it was your birthday too." 10K replies.  
"Come on sweetheart, we have something else for you to wear." Karen tells her, pulling her back to 10K's living space.  
"Here." Karen says handing her a gift box with a dark blue evening dress in it.  
"Wow, it's beautiful, thank you mom." Liv says happily, looking at herself in a mirror, holding the dress up in front of her.  
"You're thanking the wrong person." Karen replies and leaves her daughter alone to get changed.  
A few minutes later Liv enters the greenspace wearing her new dress along with some shoes Maddie brought with her.  
"Wow, you look gorgeous." 10K says, hugging her once she reached the group, receiving a cleared throat curtesy of Pete Rooney, who gets elbowed by his wife.  
"Thanks, I love it. I take it it's from you?" She asks.  
"Yeah, Maddie helped with the size and I actually emailed your old co-star for some tips on what you might like." 10K replies.  
"Alright Kid, I think you should release the beautiful lady and get changed yourself now." Doc reminds him.  
"Be right back." 10K whispers to her and takes off, making her go over to her family, who was taking amongst themselves.  
Soon after 10K comes out in a tux himself and goes over to the others while Doc plays the waiter for the party.  
A few hours later everyone left other than Liv and 10K himself because he told her he had another surprise for her but that they have to wait until later for it, making Pete fume with anger until his wife took him with her much to Liv's relief.  
"So what's the other surprise you got planned?" Liv asks him, slow dancing with him while some music plays.  
"Come on." He says, stopping their dance and leads her to the edge of the greenspace, just infront of the woods.  
"What you want me to go to the woods with you?" Liv asks confused.  
"No." Thomas says chuckling and points over at a small picknick basket and blanket lying on the ground.  
"Oh, OK." Liv says slightly embarrassed. 10K leads her over to the blanket and sits down with her, he then helps her out of her shoes and tells her "lie down."  
Liv trust him and lies on her back and can now see a clear starry sky.  
"Wow." She says looking happily at the stars.  
"Yeah, I just wanted to show you this." He says, lying down next to her and putting his arm around her, making her scooch closer to him and lie her head down on his shoulder.  
The two remain like this for a while, before they realize how late it has gotten, so Liv quickly changes back to her normal clothes and Thomas then brings her back to her house, carrying her gift.  
"Thank you, I've had a great time." She says smiling brightly.  
"I'm glad and happy birthday Liv." 10K replies, giving her a long hug. Once they break the embrace, they kiss each other lovingly before Liv enters her house and 10K goes back home.

* * *

AN: Hey, in case I had many mistakes in this chapter pls pm me, tried writing on my new tablet for the first time 😊


	7. Chapter 7

It's been 3 weeks since Maddie's and Liv's birthday. During this time Liv and 10k only went to each others houses every now and then to spend some alone time together, because Liv's father protested against Liv going on a real date with him, even more so than he did with Maddie because Diggie is easy to scare while 10k doesn't frighten easily. That 10k runs a gun range doesn't exactly help his case in the fathers' eyes either.

* * *

"Hey, it's great to see you." 10K greets Liv, opening his door for her.

"Hey blondie, how's it going?" Doc asks her happily, sitting on 10k's couch and watching a medical show.

"Hey you two. It's going great. In fact I'm going to be headlining in channel four's holiday spectacular." Liv tells them excitedly.

"That sounds great, congratulations." 10k says, giving her a hug.

"It is, this event is how my showbusiness career started." Liv informs them happily.

"So you performed as a kid?" 10K inquires, not having known this previously.

"Yeah. It was just great. I'm so excited I get to do it again and from what I've been told I'm going to be having a talented young girl with me on stage as well." Liv says, sitting down on the armchair in 10k's home.

"Cool, We'll be sure to watch it." 10k tells her, patting Doc's shoulder as he sits down on the arm rest of the couch, next to Liv.

"Watch it? Don't you want to come see it live?" Liv asks surprised since 10k isn't much of a TV guy.

"Well sure I would but I think it's best if I stay clear of your dad so as to not ruin your holiday. How did you even get here?" 10k tells her.

"Dad was tied to a tree and I snuck out, long story. Either way, please come. For me." Liv begs him, pouting to convince him.

"Alright, looks like we're going to see a live performance tomorrow Doc, so save your 'treat' for afterwards." 10k tells his guardian, putting air quotes on treat while laughing.

"Alright." Doc agrees grumpily.

"I think you better put on a good performance or Doc will be disappointed." 10k tells Liv jokingly.

"Aww come on, you know Doc loves me." Liv replies with a smirk.

"She ain't wrong. I mean anyone who can get an appearance on medical emergencies is OK in my book." Doc says, having seen Liv's guest appearance on one of his favorite shows multiple times.

"Anyways, so you're coming tomorrow?" Liv asks 10k as she gets out of the chair.

"Yeah, we'll be there." 10k confirms and gives her a kiss on her cheek.

"Oh, you know I almost forgot about this." Liv says while fishing through her purse and fetches a mistletoe branch, trying to hold it over herself and the quite a bit taller 10k, who takes it and holds it over them while Liv throws her arms around his neck and gives him a big kiss.

"I think I see why people like this tradition." 10k says with a chuckle.

"I knew you'd come around." Liv says, knowing that winter isn't 10k's favorite time of year ever since his father died and she tries to cheer him up with some nice gestures.

"We'll see. But you better take it with you, otherwise Doc might get a little too friendly with the postman after he had a few glasses of eggnog." 10k tells her, handing her the branch back.

"OK, oh before I forget it. The show is at 8 but you should already be there around 7.30, that's when I'll do the final mic check and such." Liv informs them.

"Got it. See you then." 10k says, giving her a final hug before Liv steps outside and leaves to meet her co-star at the stage with her mom.

* * *

At the stage Johnny Nimbus the local reporter and announcer for any important event is interviewing Pete and Maddie Rooney, who are tasked with decorating the Christmas tree this year.

After hearing from Nimbus that their tree will be bad in comparison to the tree last year Maddie tells him that their tree will be the best tree ever and they are trying to throw together an awesome tree.

Meanwhile after meeting Liv's co-star, Liv and the little girl Jenny Keene go home to the Rooney's where they practice for their performance with Karen Rooney playing the flute alongside them.

"Well between this Duette and Liv's solo this is going to be the best tree lighting ever." Karen tells the two girls after their practice.

"Thank you, Mrs. Rooney for your wonderful flute playing. It's like listening to beauty share a hug with grace." Jenny tells her.

"Thank you, well girls I'm going to start making dinner and you keep practicing you sound great." Karen tells them, leaving Jenny alone with Liv.

"Aww, anyone would sound great when singing with Liv. Because you sound like a dying walrus." Jenny tells Liv angrily.

"You are just too swe… wait what?" Liv says shocked by the change in behavior.

"Listen up blondie, I'm making some changes. Starting with this stupid outfit, I'm the star of the show I should have the cool dress." Jenny yells at Liv.

"Uhm, pretty sure I'm the star of the show, I'm going to be lighting the tree and oh, I'm also the one who was on a hit TV-show." Liv tells the little girl.

"If you try to steal my spotlight it will be the last thing you do." The little girl threatens Liv until Karen comes back in the room and drives Jenny to her home.

When Karen comes back Liv is still in her Santa costume, waiting for her.

"that little girl is such an angel. She insisted I give you these cookies." Karen tells Liv, holding out a plate to Liv.

Liv snatches the place and pumps it on the floor quickly, yelling "Mom, don't eat those."

"I know you watch your carbs around the holidays but what was that?" Karen asks stupefied.

"Jenny Keene is a monster. One minute it's beauty sharing a hug with grace and the next moment it's watch your back." Liv tells Karen.

"Honey that can't be true. She was such a delight on the ride home. Imagine how scared that little girl must be to share a spotlight with Liv Rooney." Karen tells her daughter.

"I guess you're right. Must be cold there in my shadow." Liv agrees.

"This is what being a mentor is all about. That little girl needs your guidance." Karen tells Liv.

"I guess everyone reacts different when they're scared. Some people chew their nails and other people turn into a demon spawn." Liv agrees.

"You see, now let's watch the video of your dad freezing on screen again." Karen suggests and turns on the TV.

While they rewatch Johnny Nimbus's interview Liv fishes out her phone and texts 10k, telling him that she's worried about Jenny.

"Who are you texting?" Karen asks her daughter knowingly.

"10k." Liv replies, not letting her mother's excitement get to her.

"What does he say?" Karen asks peering over Liv's shoulder.

"Nothing yet. He's probably busy. He and Doc are going over their finances around Christmas time from what he told me." Liv explains.

"Aww, too bad I was hoping for some girl talk." Karen says disappointed and turns her attention back the TV.

* * *

|the next day|

Around lunchtime Joey and Parker are earning money by playing Santa while Maddie and Pete finish their tree. Pete installed countless lights and used enough power cords to light a small town while Maddie fetched a tree top ornament so bright it's almost blinding.

Later that evening 10k and Doc show up at the event half an hour early, like Liv requested so they are present for the technical check.

"Hey 10K!" Parker shouts excited to see Liv's boyfriend.

"Hey Parker." 10K greets him, giving the smaller boy a fist bump, while nodding to Joey saying "Joey."

"Hi Mrs. Rooney, Mr. Rooney." 10k then greets the parents.

"What do you want?" Pete asks eyeing him carefully.

"Liv asked me to come." 10k explains.

"Well it's Christmas, so I'll allow it." Pete tells him.

"Thanks, so where is the big star?" 10k asks, looking at the family.

"Oh, uhh. I don't know she should be here by now shouldn't she?" Karen asks her husband.

"Maybe she wanted to fix her clothes again or something." Pete says not worried about it.

"I guess I'll have to do the show all by my self." Jenny says walking past the group.

"Hmmm, something's not right. I'll go look for her." 10k tells them and takes off, running towards the Rooney's house.

* * *

At most 10 minutes later 10k arrives in front of the house and enters it from the back, knowing that door is almost always open. Just when he's about to shout Liv's name he hears her voice coming from the living room, sounding scared.

"Uhh, what exactly are you guys doing here?" Liv asks.

"We were sent to delay your performance tonight." A male's voice replies.

10k assumes that that Jenny girl somehow got some men to stop Liv from appearing, so he leaves through the kitchen and throws the door shut loud.

"I though you said everyone else already left." One of the four guys, standing in Liv's living room tells another guy.

"They did. Come on, let's check it out." He replies and leaves with a third man.

10k after throwing the door closed is waiting next to the door and as soon as the two men step outside to see what made the noise he leaps at one of them, knocking him in the neck with his elbow, knocking him unconscious and then takes the other one in a choke hold until he passed out as well.

"That's two down. Problem is I don't know how many others are there." 10k says worried about Liv.

He quietly reenters the kitchen and takes a knife just in case.

"They should be back by now. Something's wrong." A voice says.

"Then go check it out. I got the teen star. I am able to contain her by myself." Another guy replies.

10k hides behind the counter of the kitchen and waits for the man he hears walking towards himself to reach his position, once he's next to 10k 10k jumps up, holding the man in a choke hold with the knife pressed to his neck.

"Stay calm and nothing will happen." 10k orders the man as he leads him back into the living room where Liv is sitting on the couch with the remaining guy right next to her.

When 10k enters the man shoots up and takes hold of Liv's arm.

"Let him go or she'll pay for it." The man tells him.

10k slowly takes his knife away from the man's neck and just when both men think he's going to surrender 10k throws the knife at the man next to Liv, hitting him right in his shoulder, causing him to release Liv with a painful yell and fall to the floor. Liv gets up quickly and hurries to the door.

10k then kicks the guy in front of him in the back of his knees before elbowing him in his neck as well.

10k then approaches the man lying on the floor with the knife in his shoulder and knocks him out by kicking him in his temple.

"Liv, are you OK?" 10k asks his girlfriend, worried about her and looks over to the blonde who looks at him like he is a monster.

"Liv?" 10k asks concerned.

"What? Yeah, yeah. I'm OK. This is just…" Liv stammers, sitting down on the stairs.

"Liv, you know I think this might've been a wake-up call." 10k tells her, looking at the two unconscious men.

"What do you mean?" Liv asks confused.

"Look around. I clearly still have some issues to deal with. Your manager might be right. I'm only holding you back, so I think it'd be best if we stop going out." 10k tells her sadly.

"What? You're breaking up with me?" Liv asks shocked, feeling like her world is crumbling down around her.

"Look. This is me. And you can tell yourself you're OK with this but I don't think you are. You can barely look at me without flinching." 10k tells her, trying to stay calm.

"But 10k…" Liv says but he cuts her off.

"Listen Liv, you still have a show to get to, so lets put this on hold and discuss this when you're back OK? And don't worry about these guys, I'll round them up and keep them contained until the cops get here." 10k tells her.

"10k, I don't understand. What did my manager even say to you?" Liv asks him.

"She told me that you were up for some roles and the only reason they didn't cast you was because you hang out with me." He explains.

"She never told me anything." Liv says surprised.

"Listen, just go to your show and we'll talk about this later." 10k says, basically shoving her out of the door.

Once she's gone 10k drags the 4 men together, where he chains them up after making sure that the man he hit with the knife will be OK.

* * *

He then turns on the TV, waiting for Liv to make her appearance as well as wait for the cops to show up.

5 minutes later the cops show up and take the four men away, sending the injured one to the hospital but they still contain 10k, putting him in cuffs and sitting him down on the couch with 2 police officers watching him. They also call Pete and inform him that something went down in his house and ask him to come home immediately.

Just when Pete is about to drive to his house Liv shows up and informs her family of what happened. Pete then makes his way to his home while Liv is about to start her performance, having locked up her co-star in a janitor's closet.

Pete arrives about 5 minutes after getting the call and enters his house.

"Mr. Rooney. Nice to see you again." An officer greets him, knowing Liv's father because he is his daughter's basketball coach.

"What's going on Frank?" Pete asks.

"This kid here told us a wild story of how he took down four men to save your daughter. Is that true?" Frank explains, pointing at 10k who is sitting on the couch.

"Yes. Liv just told me. Apparently, they wanted to stop her from appearing on the show tonight. Must be some crazy fans." Pete replies.

"So this boy is telling the truth?" Frank asks.

"Yeah, you can take those off him." Pete says, looking at 10k reluctantly.

"OK kid. Sorry about this, we just need to do our job." Frank tells him, taking off the cuffs.

"It's OK." 10k replies, focused on the TV, now that Liv's being announced.

"Officer Frank, is it OK if we give our statement later? We'd really want to watch my daughter's performance." Pete asks the policeman.

"Sure, just come by the police station after Thomas." The policeman says, reading 10k's name from his report.

"Thank you and I will." 10k says thankfully.

"Why'd you help me? You could've just let them arrest me and keep me for a while." 10k asks Pete Rooney, who takes a seat next to 10k, watching Liv perform a few songs with him.

"Liv told me what happened. And I won't punish you for saving my daughter, what kind of a lunatic do you think I am?" Pete tells him.

"By the way she asked me to tell you to watch her performance. I don't know why." Pete tells him.

"OK thanks, did she tell you that I suggested to her that we should break up?" 10k asks the man.

"No." Pete replies a small grin on his face.

"You're a bad liar." 10k tells him after which the two fall into a silence, watching Liv perform.

"And that was Liv Rooney, I'm hoping you enjoyed that as much as we did…" Johnny Nimbus announces before Liv whispers something in his ear.

"Oh, what did I hear? Liv has actually another song prepared." Johnny says and steps aside, leaving Liv the stage.

"10k, if you're watching this, I'm sorry for how I reacted. And I want you to know that no matter what some people might say or think, All I want for Christmas is you." Liv says into the camera and then sings the song.

Pete shoots 10k some death glares while Liv performs a song for 10k but 10k ignores it for now, relieved that Liv apparently doesn't want to break up with him.

When Liv is done Maddie turns on the Christmas tree, causing a blackout and Liv rescues the evening by singing a song to the light of electric candles, which Maddie still had from her original idea.

* * *

"I think I better go make that report." 10k says after the show is done.

"I think you'd better as well. Broken up hah, I've still got my eyes on you. I'm grateful you saved my little girl but that doesn't mean you can go out with her." Pete tells 10k as the teen leaves the house to go to the police station.

Once he's at the station he gets lead to Officer Frank and explains what exactly happened. The officer writes this up and tells him that he can go now.

After giving his report 10k gave going over to Liv's place a thought but quickly shuts it down, having had enough action in the Rooney's house without him and Pete brawling it out as well.

When 10k unlocks his door however he's greeted to the sight of Liv lying on his couch asleep.

10k closes the door quietly and makes his way to the sleeping girl, sitting down on the arm rest and gently brushing her hair to get her to wake up.

A few moments later Liv wakes up and looks around confused once before recalling where she is.

"Hey you, what are you doing here?" 10k asks Liv.

"Did you see my performance?" Liv asks.

"Yeah I did." 10k replies.

"I did mean it. I'm sorry that I was scared of you in the moment." Liv tells him apologetically.

"Liv, you never have to be sorry about anything with me." 10k tells her supportively.

"Still, I was scared, and you are hurt because of it." Liv says guiltily.

"Did you mean what you said on TV?" 10k asks her, fiddling with his thumbs nervously.

"Does this answer your question?" Liv asks him and points at the ceiling where she taped a mistletoe twig over them. Liv sits up and takes his face, pulling it towards her gently and kisses him, not letting him go.

10k after a few seconds gets off the arm rest and sits down next to her, embracing the blonde girl in his strong arms. The two of them continue to make out for about 10 minutes. Once they take a break 10k jokes "I guess I'd better not say that this doesn't answer my question."

"Yeah, you'd better not." Liv laughs, punching him lightly.

"By the way. While I was waiting for you, I thought about what you told me my manager told you." Liv says.

"Yeah and?" He asks.

"I was thinking, what happened at my house will be in the news tomorrow probably, why not change it slightly." Liv continues.

"Go on." 10k says.

"We tell people that you're my bodyguard. Think about it, nobody other than a few people at school even know you as 10k and If we tell people you're my part time bodyguard the producers won't find it curious that we hang out so much." Liv suggests.

"I like where you're going with this. This way we can still go out without me holding back your career." 10k says excitedly.

"There is something I have to tell you Liv. Even though we never had a real date I know that I do love you." 10k tells her, taking her hands and interweaving them with his.

"Me too, I love you too Thomas." Liv replies, looking deep into his eyes.

"And even though I was shocked when I saw your protective side, I love you even more for it." Liv tells him, caressing his cheek.

The two of them lean in slowly and just when they were about to kiss Doc suddenly pops up at the window, having taken a stroll around the greenspace.

"Ohh the kids are back together, this is wonderful." Doc says excitedly, having taken a few too many glasses of his eggnog.

10k shuts the window annoyedly and lets all the drapes down, before offering his hand to Liv and helping her off the couch, embracing the smaller girl in his arms and kissing her lovingly.

"It's already too late for you to go back don't you think?" 10k asks Liv.

"I think so too." Liv agrees with a smirk.

"Come on then Santa." 10k tells her, pulling Liv who's still in her Santa costume with him and lies down on his bed, with one arm around Liv, holding her close before draping his blanket over them.

"Goodnight sweetheart. By the way you were amazing today." 10k tells her.

"Thank you. Night 10k." Liv replies and the two of them slowly start to drift off to a peaceful sleep.

* * *

AN: hope you enjoy it. review and follow


	8. Chapter 8

|The next day|

Liv wakes up, still encircled by 10k's arms so she tries to move as little as possible while turning to the clock on his nightstand but 10k feels her moving and wakes up as well.

"Morning." 10k tells her, releasing her from his hold and sits up to stretch his arms.

"Morning." Liv replies, scooting up the bed till she is with her back to the headboard.

"What time is it?" 10k asks her, stifling a yawn.

"Almost 7.30 am." Liv replies.

"Kay, I think we better get you home soon then or your dad will fall into a rage." 10k tells her, getting out of his bed and enters the bathroom to brush his teeth.

"Yeah, I think that's a good idea. Hey, why don't you just spend Christmas Morning with us?" Liv suggests.

"Are you sure about that?" 10k questions, finishing in the bathroom.

"Sure, why not. I mean you rescued me from 4 guys yesterday if that doesn't change his opinion of you I'm not sure what will." Liv tells him supportively, giving him a hug before entering his bathroom.

"Do you have a hairbrush somewhere?" Liv asks him, looking around his bathroom.

"Oh, yeah. Uhm, here." 10k says, opening a cabinet and presenting a still packed hairbrush.

"I was hoping you'd get to spend the night sooner or later, so I got it just in case." 10k explains after receiving a confused look at the brush still being packed.

"Thanks." Liv tells him, before turning to the mirror in his bathroom and fixing her hair.

"So, you really do want me to crash your guys' Christmas Morning?" 10k asks her once more, not sure it's the best course of action.

"Come on, it won't be that bad. Diggie will probably come by early as well." Liv replies.

"Alright I'm staying but don't say I didn't warn you." 10k tells her and goes over to his table, seeing something lying on it.

'Merry Christmas kid, have fun with your dad's car. P.S. I already found my presents.' The envelope on the table says.

After reading the message 10k opens the envelope with a chuckle at Doc's note saying he already found his presents and true to his word the presents he hid in a cupboard are gone.  
"Good thing I wrote names on them." 10k says looking into the cupboard.

"What?" Liv asks from the bathroom.

"Oh, nothing. Doc just left me my gift and already took his yesterday." 10k tells her.

"Really what'd you get?" Liv ask him, leaving the bathroom with her hair being straight instead of her usual curly hairstyle.

"My dad's car." 10k replies holding up the keys.

"Oh congratulations." Liv says happily.

"Why didn't you get it earlier? You had your drivers license for a few months now, right?" Liv asks.

"Doc wanted me to wait, and legally he is my guardian." 10k explains.

"I see, so what did you get him?" Liv asks, coming over and sitting down next to him in his kitchen area.

"Well first there is that cover with you from the season of that medical show you signed, then I also got him something to smoke and a new lighter." 10k tells her.

"Sounds like he'd enjoy that." Liv agrees with a smile.

"Yeah, I hope so, anyways you ready to head out?" 10k asks her, grabbing his keys.

"Yep." Liv replies, following him but 10k stops at the door and helps her into one of his coats because she is still wearing the Santa dress and it's winter.

"Thanks." Liv tells him, snuggling into the jacket.

"So, you want to try your new car?" Liv asks him, following 10k.

"Yeah, seems like a good opportunity." 10k tells her and leads her to the parking lot of the shooting range and leads her to the only other car there besides Doc`s van.

"What about the shooting range?" Liv asks.

"Oh that's alright, I already posted a entry on the website that we're closed until after new years and hung out some posters.

"Great." Liv says excitedly.

"Here it is." 10k says opening the car and holding open the door for her.

"Thank you." Liv says, getting in.

"It's a nice car." Liv tells him when he joins her, sitting in the driver seat.

"Yeah, it's relatively new, my dad never got to use it much before he passed." 10k says, looking around the car sentimentally once.

"Sorry." Liv tells him, taking his hand.

"It's alright. I'd have managed to convince him to let me drive it either way." 10k replies.

"Alright, let's go." 10k says and starts the car, stopping when he is right in front of his front door.

"Wait here a sec. I'll get the presents I have for you and your family." 10k tells her and pops open the trunk before going inside and re-emerging with a couple of presents in his arms which he stores in the trunk before shutting it and joining her in the car again.

"That seemed like a lot. You really didn't have to get us anything. I'm pretty sure my family didn't get you anything." Liv tells him.

"that's alright." 10k tells her and starts to drive them to her house.

* * *

About 10 minutes later he pulls up in her driveway and turns off the car.

The two head for the front door and Liv unlocks it, going inside while pulling 10k along by his hand.

When they enter the living room the two are greeted to the sight of the Rooney family sitting on the couches, obviously waiting for Liv.

"About time you got here, we weren't allowed to open our presents until you are here." Parker tells Liv complaining.

"Sorry, Last night was just a bit too stressful." Liv replies.

"Well I'm glad that everything worked out honey." Karen says, giving her daughter a hug.

"Come join us." Maddie tells her twin, patting the seat beside her.

Liv goes over to her, still pulling 10k along.

"Merry Christmas everyone." 10k tells them, feeling out of place.

"What is he doing here?" Pete asks his daughter annoyed.

"Come on dad, I invited him. I thought that after he rescued me you wouldn't be on his case for once." Liv tells her father disappointed.

"Oh, I will, and I made that clear." Pete replies.

"It's OK, I can leave." 10k says, not wanting to cause more trouble.

"No, if he leaves then I leave." Liv says decisively.

"Pete!" Karen warns her husband.

"Alright, stay 10k. I'll have that other boy to deal with soon anyways." Pete says, making Maddie sigh.

"Come on 10k." Liv tells him, leading him to an armchair and lets him sit down before sitting down in his lap, giving her father a challenging look, while 10k gets nervous since Liv is poking the bear so to speak.

"Well, now that we're all here. We can exchange gifts." Karen says and everyone starts to open their gifts with Parker and Joey basically ripping into them while the parents and twins take their time.

"I'll be right back." 10k excuses himself and leaves through the backdoor to get his gifts.

"Liv what are you thinking bringing that violent guy into our home again?" Pete asks his daughter disappointed.

"Dad, he defended me from four guys. What would you have done? Plus, who was it again that tackled him in my bedroom? Oh, right that was you." Liv says.

"Both of you, stop fighting. I don't want us to fight during the holidays. Pete we all know you don't want our girls to date anyone but Liv you have my blessing and Maddie I guess Diggie is OK as well." Karen says, breaking up the fighting.

"Thanks mom." Liv says.

A minute or so later 10k comes back into the living room, carrying 5 presents and an assortment of flowers.

Here Mrs. Rooney this is for you." 10k tells her, handing her the flowers.

"Oh thanks, they're beautiful." Karen says accepting the flowers.

"Joey, Parker this is for you, I thought you could put it in your room if you want." 10k tells them, handing them a box.

"Maddie. And Mr. Rooney." 10k continues, handing out the gifts before going back over to Liv and giving her two presents "These are for you." 10k tells her, before sitting down on the chair again with Liv retaking her seat in his lap.

"Cool." Parker says as he and Joey take a bear's pelt out of the box.

"It's pretty good quality. I was careful when I skinned the bear and took it to an old friend who deals with pelts and such." 10k explains.

"What, you mean you killed this bear?" Joey asks impressed.

"Yeah, sure did." 10k replies.

"Thanks, they're my favorites." Maddie thanks 10k, twirling the basketball with her favorite pro league team logo around.

"Whoa this has to be at least 8 pounds of steak." Pete says, opening his gift and looks at the huge slab of meat excitedly.

"It's from the bear, I don't know if you had bear meat before but it it's prepared correctly it's a delicacy. And if you want more, there is still a ton frozen at home." 10k informs him.

"Wow." Pete says impressed by the amount of meat.

Meanwhile Liv unwrapped her presents, which were a home recording set and an openable necklace with a photo of her family already in it and an empty spot on the other half.

"Thanks." Liv says happily, giving him a kiss on his cheek and snuggling into his side.

"You're welcome I thought since you told me you want to work on some new songs this would be handy." 10k replies.

"Yeah, it's awesome. The only thing missing is a picture of you on the other side of the necklace." She tells him.

"I didn't have one and I figured you might want to put Maddie in it anyways." 10k tells her.

"Don't be silly. We're getting me a photo of you the first chance we get." Liv tells him.

"Oh, wait a minute." Liv tells him and hops out of her seat on his lap and hurries upstairs to her room to collect her present for him.

Not even a minute later Liv comes back downstairs and hands him the present with a cheerful "Merry Christmas."

10k opens the present and takes out the items.

"Thank you Liv." 10k says looking at a coupon for a furniture store and a framed picture of the two of them together.

"I didn't even know there was a picture." 10k says, looking at a picture of the two of them dancing together at her birthday.

"Mom took it." Liv tells him.

"Thanks, I love it." 10k thanks her, squeezing her hand.

"Alright, who is hungry?" Karen asks and everyone goes into the kitchen to get something to eat.

* * *

After they had a meal together Joey and Parker hurry to their room to put away their presents and think of a good place to put the bear pelt. Maddie goes back in the living room to wait for her boyfriend to show up and Karen cleans up the kitchen. Meanwhile 10k and Liv go outside to 10k's car to get some privacy, but Pete is standing at the kitchen window, staring at them.

"I don't know what's up with him. You've been nothing but gentlemanly and helpful. He has no reason to keep a constant eye on you."

"Yeah, but you know what? I don't blame him." 10k tells her, leaning his seat back so he's almost lying.

"Why?" Liv asks him, copying his actions and turning so she's facing him.

"Well for one, you are a gorgeous, smart, successful tv star while I'm just a weirdo who owns a shooting range. And secondly Me being trained by multiple veterans and a hunter doesn't really scream non-threatening." 10k sighs.

"Come on, don't think like that. Granted the second part is true, but I for one think we are so great together because you don't care that I'm a TV star." Liv tells him, brushing his arm.

"What are they doing in there Karen?" Pete asks his wife worried, watching the car.

"Oh, would you calm down Pete. 10k is a good boy and if you remember we did way worse stuff than they could be doing when we were their age." Karen tells him.

"By the way Liv, how should we approach your idea regarding the bodyguard thing?" 10k asks her.

"Oh right, I need to call someone, I have a friend at a newspaper, she'll bite on the story I'm going to feed her, I'm sure of it." Liv tells him and steps outside of the car, walking up and down the driveway while calling her friend.

10k goes back inside and asks Mrs. Rooney "Do you need a hand?"

"No thanks. What's Liv doing?" Karen replies.

"She had this great idea, that to the media I'm going to be Liv's part-time bodyguard. That way she won't get problems with getting new roles and since no one outside of school knows my nickname what she said during the performance yesterday shouldn't be an issue." 10k explains to them.

"Smart." Karen says impressed.

"Yeah, it was all her idea." 10k says, watching Liv go up and down the driveway, giving him a thumbs up when she sees him looking at her.

"Thomas, I think we need to have a word once the holidays are over." Pete tells him.

"OK, if you say so." 10k agrees.

Liv then comes into the kitchen announcing, "It worked, tomorrow they're going to print that you as my bodyguard saved me from 4 crazy fans."

"Great." 10k says happily, getting pulled into a big hug by the blonde actress.

"Come on, now that that is settled you can help me set up the audio equipment." Liv tells him, pulling him upstairs with her.

When they reach the upper floor of the house, they walk past Parker and Joey's room and see the bear pelt in the middle of the room with the two of them dancing around it, roleplaying something apparently.

"Seems like they like it." 10k says with a grin.

"Looks like it." Liv agrees, pulling him into hers and Maddie's room.

Pete was about to go after them, but the doorbell rings and Maddie opens it, revealing Diggie.

"Great, finally the easy one is there." Pete says, rubbing his hands excitedly.

"Remember Pete, no fighting during Christmas holidays." Karen tells her husband before he leaves to go intimidate Diggie.

"The doorbell rang, don't you want to see who it is?" 10k asks Liv when they are in her room with him lying on her bed while she starts her laptop.

"It's Diggie most likely, which is good for us since it gives us a little privacy from my father." Liv tells 10k.

"Ah right Maddie's boyfriend. What was he again? Also basketball or football player?" 10k asks.

"You really don't know anyone at school, do you?" Liv asks him amused.

"No." 10k replies honestly.

"Awww, we have so much in common." Liv says cutely, joining him on the bed with the laptop, sitting down next to him cross-legged.

"So what are we dealing with?" 10k asks.

"Here, you try your luck." Liv tells him, handing him the Laptop.

"Alright." 10k agrees and installs the needed software for her on the computer and then connects the microphone to check if it works.

"Looks like it works." 10k tells her with a smile.

"Thanks, now why don't we put this aside, and…" Liv tells him, putting the computer on her table and gets her mistletoe twig, holding it over herself.

"Too bad that thing only gives us an excuse to make out during Christmas time." 10k tells her with a smirk before they both lock lips.

The rest of the Christmas day went relatively uneventful.

Karen prepared dinner and 10k went home afterwards after saying goodbye to everyone and promises Liv to call her to make plans for new year's eve.


	9. Chapter 9

A week later 10k is setting up tables and seats in the shooting range's green field for a New Year's Eve celebration, having planned with Liv and Karen to hold it at his place, since they'd have much space there.

"Hey Liv, so when are you guys coming over?" 10k asks Liv over the phone.

"We're about to head over. Thanks for suggesting that we do the celebration at your place, even my dad is excited about it, but probably mostly because he gets to grill more of your bear meat." Liv replies.

"Hey, if it gets him to warm up to me, I'm cool with it." 10k says amused.

"Yeah, anyways see you in a bit." Liv tells him ending the call.

"So, what'd she say kid?" Doc asks, helping him set up for their guests.

"They're about to head over. So if you want to get something from your place now'd be the time but please don't light one up until they're gone. Mr. Rooney dislikes me enough without knowing you like to smoke a special something every now and then." 10k tells him.

"Got it kid." Doc replies and heads over to his place.

"Alright, I think this should be it." 10k says, looking around the tables and checking if he got enough dinnerware.

"Time to get the grill." He says and heads to a room he mostly uses as storage and fetches the grill.

When he finished setting up the grill on the entry area, so it stands on stone plates instead of grass Doc reappears, carrying some more fireworks.

"Oh, I didn't know you also got some fireworks. You can just put them in the second shed that's where I put the stuff I got." 10k says.

"On it. By the way, shouldn't we take away the targets if we're going to light some fireworks?" Doc suggests.

"Yeah, you might be right. I'll fetch them, just open the other shed for me." 10k agrees and walks onto the green field, starting to collect the targets one by one.

After 10 minutes he finishes putting away the targets, except for one.

"What's up with the last one? Want to demonstrate your skills?" Doc asks him knowingly.

"We'll see. I figured, if not now when else? With all the noise going on later I'm sure no one'll mind." 10k tells him.

"Yeah, you're right about that." Doc agrees. The two of them hear cars pull up on their parking lot and head to the entrance.

"Uhmm, is this the place?" Willow asks.

"I think so. Didn't your girlfriend mention something about a shooting range?" A woman's voice asks.

"Yeah she did." Diggie replies.

"Hey, just come on through here." 10k greets the group of 6.

"Hey 10k. Haven't seen you in a while, have you been keeping up on your basketball skills?" Diggie asks him.

"No, not really." 10k replies, shaking the teens hand.

All of them head to the green area and introduce themselves to 10k and Doc.

Diggie and Willow came along with their parents since Maddie wanted to invite her best friend and boyfriend and since 10k has more than enough space available she suggested they bring their parents along.

* * *

Maybe 5 minutes after they arrived another car pulls up and 10k heads to the entrance to see if it's the Rooney's while Doc is in a conversation with Willow's father.

"Hey, am I glad to see you." Liv greets 10k, enveloping him in a hug after basically jumping out of their car.

"Good to see you too." 10k replies, returning the hug until Pete clears his throat audibly.

"Hello everyone. Most of the others are already in the back." 10k greets the rest of the Rooney family while motioning to the entrance to the green space.

"Diggie?" Maddie asks excited and receives a nod positive from 10k after which she runs ahead of her family, looking for her boyfriend.

The rest of the Rooney family follow her after getting some food out of the trunk.

"So, how've you been? Did your dad complain about me spending Christmas with you guys?" 10k asks her.

"Yeah, but it was manageable. My mom warned him from complaining too much." Liv explains.

"Good. Any word from your manager yet regarding the whole bodyguard business?" 10k asks her.

"Yeah, actually she said she might be able to get me a role for a movie soon." Liv tells him excited.

"That's great." 10k says happy for her.

"So anything else going on?" 10k asks.

"No, I'm just glad to spend some more time with you and my family with hopes of my dad not criticizing your every move." She tells him, leaning into his shoulder as they slowly stroll to the rest of the party.

"We'll see how it goes." 10k replies, giving her a kiss on her head with his arm around her shoulder.

"What do my eyes have to see? Liv, what about us?" Artie says loudly, arriving behind them with his minions in tow.

"Artie, for the last time there is no 'us', and fair warning my boyfriend here, 10k owns this shooting range and is very capable of using them." Liv tells Artie.

"You don't have to be so harsh about it." Artie replies defeated.

"Come on dude, Joey's already in the back." 10k tells the curly redhaired boy and leads him with his minions to the rest of the gathering.

* * *

After everyone settled in at the party venue Pete starts up the grill with the other dad's and Doc while the mothers talk amongst themselves, leaving their children to busy themselves.

"So, anything fun to do here?" Diggie asks when the children sit in a group.

"Depends on your definition of fun I'd guess but it's still too early to get out the guns." 10k tells him.

"Ohh guns?" Parker asks excited.

"Only if your parents allow it, which in your cases is doubtful Parker, Joey." 10k tells them.

"Aww." The two whine.

"So what can we do?" Willow asks.

"If you want to I could get my old basketball hoop and set it up." 10k suggests.

"Well get on it." Maddie says pushily.

"Chill, I'll need a minute to figure out where I put it, it's been a couple of years." 10k replies, getting up and going into one of the rooms he uses as storage.

"10k played basketball?" Liv asks surprised, since she didn't know him before his father died.

"Yeah, he played until his father died, I think. After that he never was around. We lost touch at that time too." Diggie explains, having played on the same team as him.

"Was he any good?" Maddie asks, excited about challenging a new opponent.

"He was no Diggie of course but he was OK." Diggie says bragging.

"Maddie, please don't cause a scene with my boyfriend." Liv berates her twin.

"I won't, I won't." Maddie says innocently.

A couple of minutes later 10k steps back onto the greenspace, pulling a basketball foot behind himself and having a hoop under his arm. He put them aside and fetches the pole out of the room before locking it again, just to be on the safe side since he keeps some ammunition in that room.

"Diggie, come help me set it up." 10k tells him, pulling the foot over so they have enough space to play and fetches a garden hose, filling it up.

He then mounts the pole with the hoop Diggie already installed to the foot and the two wait until the foot is full.

"One thing down, now I'll need to look for a ball." 10k says but Diggie tells him that he's got a ball in his trunk and fetches it.

Once the ball is there Maddie, Willow and Diggie gather at the hoop while 10k makes his way over to the remaining teens.

"Don't you want to play with them?" Liv asks 10k when he reclaims his seat next to her.

"Nah, I'd probably be way too rusty to keep up with them anyways." 10k replies.

Liv sees Maddie almost glare at 10k's back so she pokes his side, telling him "I think you should play ball with them, Maddie seems like she's eager to see what you can do. She's very competitive."

"I hadn't noticed." 10k says feigning surprise and looks over to the three, who are passing the ball around to get warmed up, which isn't a bad idea since it's winter after all even though the weather isn't too cold at the time.

"Alright, I'll do it. Here, you guys can head inside if you want, there should still be a game station at the TV in case you guys are interested." 10k tells Liv and hands her his housekeys.

"I'll watch from inside." Liv tells him, pecking his cheek and leads everyone to his living space.

Joey, Parker, Artie and his minions soon find his game station and start to play on it. While Liv gets herself a chair and sits down at the window overlooking the greenspace, either watching the four play basketball outside or playing with her smartphone.

After 10k joined the three basketball players he warms up with them for a few minutes before they get ready to play 2v2.

"Alright, what teams?" Maddie asks.

"Girls vs boys?" Willow suggests.

"Alright bring it Rooney." Diggie says excited, agreeing.

"OK." 10k agrees as well.

The four of them then play a round ending in a 19 to 21 for the boys with Diggie or Maddie having scored most of the points for their team.

"Alright, come on Diggie, let's show them how it's done." Maddie says, deciding on a new team.

Willow and 10k nod at each other to signal that they're ready but the two of them soon lose to the couple with a score of 12 to 20.

"Yeah, I think we could've seen that one coming." Willow says after the match.

"Last one is 10k and I vs you two, you guys ready?" Maddie tells them.

"Bring it." Willow replies and they start another round which ends in a 27 to 29 for Liv and 10k.

"Well, I need a break now." Willow says getting tired.

"Good idea." Diggie agrees, following her to the seats.

"You up for a 1on1?" Maddie challenges 10k.

"Sure, just don't expect too much." 10k tells her and gets ready.

Their match end with Maddie winning 8 to 20 but it stretched on a while because 10k often took control of the ball and snatched it from her, but he just couldn't get it in the hoop.

"I won. Bam! What!?" Maddie shouts after her victory over her twins' boyfriend.

"Well played." 10k replies and heads inside to get some towels for everyone to dry off.

"Kids, food will be ready soon." Pete tells everyone, walking over to the group.

"I'll tell them." 10k says before entering his living space.

"Food's about to be ready guys." 10k announces and the nerds + Parker pause their game to head outside to the tables.

"So, how was playing basketball?" Liv asks 10k, while he fetches the towels.

"It was alright. Went as expected." 10k replies.

"Diggie told us you stopped when your dad died." Liv says, hugging him from behind while he was drying himself off.

"Yeah, as you know I have enough on my plate with running the shooting range." 10k tells her, pulling her arm so she's face to face with him.

"True enough, but do you miss it? I mean I'm sure we can figure something out if you want to rejoin the basketball team." Liv tells him.

"Nah thank you though, don't worry about me. I'm as happy as I could be. I've got you in my arms after all." 10k tells her cheesily before giving her a kiss.

"OK. If you're happy then I'll drop it." Liv says, giving him a kiss back before leading them outside and rejoining the others at the tables.

* * *

After everyone finished eating it was already 11pm, meaning that the fireworks are already going off in the surrounding area.

"Hey guys, I just asked your parents and they were OK with Liv, Maddie, Diggie and Willow shooting if any of you'd like to give it a try." 10k informs the group.

"Sure." Diggie accepts interested with Willow and Liv accepting the offer as well while Maddie isn't interested.

10k goes inside and retrieves a rifle with some ammunition.

"Come on, we'll go a bit further inward." 10k tells them, leading to a spot on the field.

10k then explains to them how to use a gun safely and what to look out for.

After the three grasped the necessary knowledge of how to use a gun Diggie is the first to try his luck and follows 10k's instructions. He aims at the target 10k left there purposely and takes a shot. Missing the target by a couple of feet. 10k adjusts Diggie's position and tells him to try again. This time he hits the wood surrounding the target. He takes a few more shots and manages to hit in the outer rim of the target's circles at his last try.

Next is Willow, who does similarly, while slightly better than Diggie and starts to tease the tall boy.

"You're up sweetie." 10k tells Liv, offering the rifle to her.

"Thanks." She says nervously, accepting the gun.

"You don't have to be nervous, I'm right here." 10k tells her, putting his arms around her and helping her take a proper stance and get more relaxed with the rifle in her hands.

"Just think of this like shooting cans at a fare, only difference is this gun shoots straight." 10k tells her trying to lighten the mood.

"Alright, I think I got it." Liv says and 10k steps aside to let her try her luck.

On her first shot Liv hits the wood around the target and manages to get closer on her next two shots but then starts to veer off to the other side.

"Wait, here. Just aim for the very top of the board." 10k tells her, positioning the barrel so she'd hit the top of the board.

"Try it now." 10k says and Liv pulls the trigger, hitting just outside of the bulls eye.

"Wow, how'd that happen?" Liv asks surprised at the result.

"You over-corrected. And with most beginners they tend to shift the barrel down as they pull the trigger." 10k explains.

"I see." Liv says, handing him the gun.

"Why don't you give them a little demonstration of what it looks like once they got it down." Doc shouts from the sidelines with the parents and the nerds.

"Yeah, come on Tommy, I haven't seen you shoot yet now that I think about it, well except for your slingshot." Liv says excited.

"Alright." 10k agrees and they go back to the outer edge of the field.

"Does that gun even reach that far?" Diggie asks doubting 10k will hit.

"Yep." 10k replies and takes a shot, middling the target. He then continues to shoot a couple more rounds and puts the gun down.

"Let's take a look how I did." 10k tells them amused since he shot a pattern, which they can't tell from their distance.

He leads the group over to the target and when they reach their original shooting spot, they see a shot in the bullseye which is the tip of a heart pattern he shot.

"See, it hits fairly well." 10k says laughing at Diggie's stunned expression.

"Cool." Liv says, giving 10k a peck on his cheek.

"Alright, let's go back to the others, I think your brothers are getting impatient to blow something up." 10k tells her.

"Oh, little warning make sure Parker is far enough away from the houses, he tends to overdo it in such situations." Liv warns 10k.

"Will do." He agrees, collecting the target and carrying it over to the group.

"How'd you do kid?" Doc asks and 10k shows them the heart pattern.

"Well that's a first usually you go for you 10k signature. But good to see that you haven't lost your edge." Doc tells his godson with a pat on his back and a wide smile.

"Yeah, yeah. I beat your ass when I was 8 if I remember correctly." 10k replies amused.

"What can I say, my eyes aren`t exactly the best and neither is my concentration." Doc tells him.

Once Pete sees the pattern 10k shot he shoots him an annoyed look but after Karen elbowed him in his side, he let it slide.

After everyone is off the field the kids other than 10k and Liv get some fireworks and start to light them up on the concrete platform they used as the beginners shooting distance.

They light up some fireworks until everyone gathers together when it's only a few minutes until midnight.

* * *

"Gather round everyone. The ball's about to drop!" Pete announces to the party guests.

"Great, I can't wait to work on my new image next year." Joey says excited.

"That train left the station long ago Munch." Parker tells him with Artie nodding his head in agreement.

"Liv, you want to get some privacy?" 10k asks his girlfriend.

"Sure." Liv agrees with a smile and they take a stroll onto the grass field hand in hand.

"So, why'd you want to get some privacy?" Liv asks 10k curiously when they stop.

"Well, I know there is this tradition for new years eve." 10k says somewhat embarrassed.

"Oh, you mean kissing someone when it strikes midnight?" Liv asks.

"Yeah and well I thought if we'd kiss at midnight, I'd rather not have your father breathing down my neck a second later." 10k says with a small grin.

"Yeah, you're probably right." Liv agrees, leaning into his larger frame, hugging her arms around his back.

"Well since we're about to start into a new year there is something I have to get off my chest." 10k says, rubbing his arms on her back.

"What is it?" She asks surprised.

"I never apologized for suggesting we break up before your Christmas show, You have to know that I never wanted to break up with you, I just don't want you to grow to regret going out with me because let's face it we are very different people." 10k tells her apologetically.

"10k, there is nothing to apologize for. I know you never wanted to break up it was quite evident on your face, believe me. You are no actor after all." She tells him, playing with one of his hands.

They then hear the parents count down in the back loudly.

When they reached 5 Liv and 10k look each other in the eyes, readying themselves for their midnight kiss. 10k was still nervous about it but after looking into Liv's eyes he quickly rejects the feeling and is excited about their kiss instead.

Once the adults reach 3 both of them slowly lean into one another until at the strike of midnight their lips meet for a passionate kiss, lasting for a good while.


End file.
